New Jersey state labor laws require employers to uphold certain hiring, firing and compensation standards when dealing with their employees. They also state that workers be paid a set minimum wage and overtime and restrict employers from hiring children to work in certain industries and certain schedules. These laws also specify whether wages can be withheld, how sick leave is accrued and how other benefits should be handled.
New Jersey labor laws protect your right to pay and sick leave
Your right to overtime pay is guaranteed under federal law
During the holiday season, it's not uncommon for some employers to ask their workers to pick up a few extra shifts so that they can meet their customers' demands. Some employees may work double what they would during any other time of the year as a result. It's not unheard of for them to rack up in excess of 40 hours a week.
New Jersey employers should be careful when hiring minors
Child labor laws are enforced by the State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. They restrict when and how much someone under the age of 18 is allowed to work, the types of the establishments that they may work for, the tasks they can carry out and the products or machines that they're allowed to use.
Can your employer pay you $7.25 per hour?
After a few months of unemployment, you get a job offer. It pays minimum wage. Happy to have some income again, you gladly take it.
New Jersey hour laws for minors change during the school year
Can business owners in New Jersey hire people who are under 16 years old? If they can, how many hours are these minors allowed to work?
New Jersey considers $15 minimum wage
As more and more workers face the realities of inflation outpacing wage growth, people in entry-level positions often suffer the most difficulty finding financial footing. However, New Jersey lawmakers are considering some big shifts in wage laws that may relieve some of this mounting pressure. They are considering legislation to raise the minimum wage from its current rate to approximately $15 per hour.
Are lunch breaks guaranteed to workers in New Jersey?
No matter what industry you work in or the complexity of your work life, you have to eat. As a worker, performing shifts without a break to eat and rest can greatly decrease your ability to deliver quality work and may sink your productivity significantly. However, not all employers are legally required to offer lunch breaks, as counterintuitive as that might be.
Can children work legally in America?
It is common knowledge that many employers only hire legal adults and do not or cannot hire minors or children to work, especially in dangerous or overly technical fields. However, many children do work legally in the United States, and many employers choose to work with minor employees.
Enforcing your pension plan is possible
If your employer offers you a pension plan, or some other benefit, it is reasonable to factor this in to your financial plans, especially when it comes to your estate planning and ongoing care both now and later in life. Unfortunately, when times get tough in the economy, either for an individual employer or for the economy in general, pensions and other benefits often receive unfair treatment that may affect your retirement. Still, you may have some tools you can use to protect yourself.
Filing a claim for unpaid wages
If you suspect that your employer does not pay you properly, or has withheld payment for a certain task or shift, you may have grounds to file a claim for unpaid wages. This is not always a simple or quick process, but the law does provide a path for employees to petition the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) for help securing fair back pay. This may arise because an employer refuses to pay you overtime, pays you for fewer hours than you worked, or pays you less than you deserve in some other way.
