Working Papers Rule Change For Teenagers/Students Seeking Employment Coming June 1st
NJGCA Networking Event: Join Us!
Safety Inspection Posters Available
NJDEP Enhanced Vapor Recovery Upgrade Reminder
NJGCA Scholarship: Apply & Donate Today!
MBP Spotlight: Dana Insurance
Social Media
Happy Memorial Day!
Teen Working Paper Rule Change
This week NJGCA participated in a Department of Labor presentation, outlining the coming rule changes to New Jersey’s “working papers” procedures for teenagers and students seeking employment.
In years past, teenage residents under the age of 18 who wanted to work would have to get their “working papers” from the schools they attended. This included students who were seeking summer employment (when school was not in session) and could also implicate special “permits” to work in specific industries (such as newspaper carriers, seasonal work, or in agriculture). This included a medical physical (performed by the district or the student’s physician), a birth certificate/passport, and school records.
Throughout the recent COVID pandemic, the lack of employees created changes in state law to encourage teenagers to participate in the labor market to fill the worker shortfall. We won’t get into all those changes here, but the most recent developments now mandate that this process will shift from 600+ local schools and be consolidated into a single online system overseen by the Department of Labor.
The online portal will launch on June 1, 2023, and must include the participation of the teenage/student candidate employee, the hiring employer, and the parents/caregivers of the potential under-18 employee. Each party will have to complete a registration and authentication process online to authorize the teenager/student employee to work.
Unlike the old process, which was cumbersome and antiquated, the new process can have a student approved to start working in as little as 15 minutes.
A full Step-by-Step tutorial and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section will eventually be made available online. However, as a general overview, here are some procedural and administrative highlights:
Starting June 1, 2023, all teenagers/students and employers seeking “working papers” must use the online process. No paper submissions will be accepted after this date.
Anyone who has used the old paper process before the June 1, 2023 launch will have their submissions grandfathered and honored by the school district and the Department of Labor.
You may not “get a jump” on this procedure by using the portal before June 1st. If you need to get “working papers” approved before June 1st, you must use the old paper process.
Teenagers/student employees will:
No longer be required to get a physical as part of this process.
May work up to 50 hours a week (if 16 or 17 years of age).
For qualifying roles, apprenticeships are also included in this process.
If a minor worker lives out of state, they must also complete this process online.
To start this process, employers must create an Employer Account at www.MyWorkingPapers.nj.gov. The potential teenager/student employee candidate must also create an account on the same website. Parents/caregivers will also need to eventually “approve” their child’s application via email confirmation.
For the first time, participants and employers will need to complete an initial two-step process. After the account is set up, employers will only need to complete a single step for each additional employee.
When filling out the employer section the first time, business information must be included (business corporate site address, owner information, etc). Please note that to complete the process, you must have your IRS Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) when signing up.
Once submitted, you’ll get an email confirmation with a unique employer code generated for your business. Please follow the instructions in the email, and do not delete the message with your unique employer code (you will need it for future hires).
After you’ve completed this process, the teenage/student employee will have to set up their own account. In doing so, they will need the unique code generated by the system. That code will be added to the minor worker’s own registration, and link your business with their application.
Once the teenager/student’s online application is submitted, the employer will receive a notification in the system with “Action Required” for you to approve the minor worker’s application linked to your business. You may be asked to fill in additional information in the role they will perform (job duty/title, number of hours, the hiring manager name, questions on if the position is in a hazardous work-site, etc). Please note that if the job will be performed on a “hazardous work site” it will kick off a review process.
An email will be sent to their parent/caregiver for their approval. The parent/caregiver has two weeks to click on the link and approve the submission. If the parent/caregiver does not click on the link before the two week expiration, the student will automatically be “approved” by the system and he/she may begin working for you.
Employers will have an online portal “dashboard” that lists all the minor workers employed by the business. If a worker returns to work for you the following year (and performs the same work/job duty/job title), you will not have to repeat the online “working papers” process.
A Step-by-Step and FAQ section will be made available to everyone, but is not yet available.
The NJ DOL stated plainly that they are seeking employer feedback as this new program is rolled out. Scenarios, questions, and unique circumstances will be added to the Step-by-Step and FAQ resources as they learn of them. Meaning, if you face your own difficulties or unique criteria in enrolling a minor worker as an employee, you should submit that feedback to the Department. It can only help improve and streamline the process for other small business owners facing similar issues.
As always, feel free to reach out to Nick@njgca.org with any questions about this or other state laws and regulations.
NJGCA Networking Event – Join Us!
We will be hosting a fun networking event for our members on ThursdayJune 22nd from 5 to 7 PM at Tommy’s Tavern and Tap in Clifton for our members to get together, have some drinks and good food and meet some of the MBPs in our program. We would like to make more of an effort post-pandemic to get our members together to socialize, have some fun, and talk with fellow folks in the industry. Bring your employees, spouse, or even a nonmember colleague and show them the value of belonging to an industry association. Are you interested in attending? Hold the date and time on your calendar and email Michelle with your interest at michelle@njgca.org. Registration page and more information will be forthcoming.
Safety Inspection Posters
When we moved offices a few months ago, we turned up a whole bunch of safety inspection posters that we had created when the state eliminated safety inspections in 2010. Its purpose is to remind your auto repair customers that even though they are not mandated to have a safety inspection, they are still legally required to maintain a safe vehicle by having all of what’s listed on the poster, or they can be ticketed. In addition, it reminds the motorist that these are all safety features that keep them and their passengers safe. If you would like one of these for your shop, we are happy to provide these to our members free of charge. Email Nick@njgca.org if you are interested in having this mailed or would to pick one up at our office in Eatontown:
NJDEP Enhanced Vapor Recovery Upgrade Reminder
We recently came across the reminder from our Member Benefit Partner C-3 which we thought to pass along to our members on Enhanced Vapor Recovery upgrades:
This upgrade affects all locations with tanks installed prior to December 23, 2017. Any tanks installed on/after December 23, 2017 are unaffected; and should have had these enhancements made at the time of installation. Those affected facilities must upgrade to new, full EVR requirements by December 23, 2024.
The upgraded system is a California Air Resources Board (CARB) Certified Phase 1 system, and includes enhanced rotatable fill adaptors, dust caps, spill buckets, hoses, and other requirements. Stations that do not upgrade their facility by December 23, 2024 may face fines or penalties for non-compliance.
In following the same mindset that forewarned the implementation of the Stage II Vacuum Assist Vapor Recovery decommissioning (which ended on December 23, 2020), NJGCA highly recommends that all affected stations comply with the upcoming mandates ahead of the deadline. Those stations with tanks installed prior to December 23, 2017 should contact their compliance vendor to inquire about the updates and schedule their completion before the deadline. With both the end of Stage II and the credit card EMV upgrades, we saw a lot of people wait until the final few weeks before the deadline and they suffered for it with long waits and higher costs. If you have any questions, contact Nick at nick@njgca.org for more information.
Scholarship Applications and Donations Needed
Our scholarship application is live and we are accepting both mailed and online applications. We have been able to award scholarship funds to children of NJGCA members and the children of employees of NJGCA members. Last year, $10,000 was awarded with $5,000 being contributed thanks to the generosity of Utica Insurance. Utica Insurance is the insurance company that insures many NJGCA members. The contribution was arranged by NJGCA MBP World Insurance (Amato Agency). Once again Utica has contributed $5,000 towards a scholarship that is to be awarded to a student attending an automotive technical school or studying automotive technology. Each NJGCA member will be entitled to submit ONE application that will be reviewed by the scholarship committee. While the Utica donation must go towards automotive training, other funds can be given to a deserving student studying anything. Applicants may be either the child/grandchild of a member, or an employee, or the child of an employee that works for the NJGCA member. You can find both the mail-in application and the online application HERE. Do not forget to include the other documentation required (transcripts, essays, etc) to be considered.
This year we have also requested our membership to help contribute to the scholarship funds so more students will be able to benefit. We are still conducting our Scholarship Drive, and we need your help! Even if every member gave as little as $25 to $50, we would be able to help several students with their continuing education. No donation is too small and remember, it is tax deductible! Send in your donation today! The scholarship benefits your family and employees’ families. You can either mail a check or donate online.
Let’s show this year’s recipients the generosity of NJGCA members!
Scan the QR code or visit the link to find the scholarship donation page.
We are proud this year to be celebrating 30 years in the tank insurance business. 15 of those years as a member of the NJGCA. The road is long, and it won’t be ending anytime soon.
We continue into 2023 with the same objectives that we’ve had since the beginning - helping members obtain pollution insurance and striving to offer reliable service beyond simply providing a policy.
This year has marked new opportunities for the owners and operators of underground tanks, including those tanks that are 30+ years old. For NJGCA members that are frustrated with high deductibles or overwhelming paperwork requirements to obtain insurance; give us a call or send us an email. We have new options for helping you.
In the past 15 years, one thing hasn’t changed - NJGCA members still want the best tank insurance advice they can get. They want explanations about changes in the tank insurance market and in their policy. We’ve noticed some insurance companies limiting coverage and changing retroactive dates with little or no disclaimers. These changes are important, so we want you to know about them.
NJGCA members want the best tank insurance coverage they can get. All storage tanks bring on regulatory challenges and we have the experience to guide you through the process. We remain confident in a better future. We know that “hope” is not a good risk management plan. Trust is an important factor in every business. Our integrity and knowledge of this industry will make a difference.
DANA Insurance is proud to be a partner with NJGCA and to have served for many years on behalf of its members. We’ve provided tank insurance to thousands of tank owners and operators. We value working with every one of them.
Social Media
We recently posted this picture of Kim Kardashian pumping her gas on our Facebook and thought to give our members who did not get a chance to see it yet a good laugh. If Kim Kardashian can pump her own gas, Jersey girls certainly can too!
Memorial Day
Finally, this Memorial Day, we're thankful for those who gave their lives while serving, and thinking of those who have lost someone they love. Thank you for your sacrifice, and we hope you will all take time to remember the meaning of the day.
All classes held at NJGCA HQ -- 615 Hope Road, Building 2, 1st Floor, Eatontown, NJ 07724
ASE Training Course - Reach Out Today!
Are you (or an employee) getting ready to take your A6, A8, or L1 in preparation to recertifying your Emission Repair Technician (ERT) credentials through the State's Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP)?
We can help --- but we need to hear from you, first! NJGCA wants to hear from students interested in our ASE-prep training program, so we can gauge demand and schedule our next session series.
As you know, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has always maintained a "dual-track" system to allow technicians to earn their Emission Repair Technician (ERT) credentials through New Jersey's Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP). In doing so, technicians were allowed to certify as ERTs through either an ASE-test track or an ETEP-educational class track. Starting on January 1, 2020, NJDEP amended the ETEP criteria, and the ETEP-educational class track was abolished.
Today, only the ASE-test track remains, and all ERTs must certify or re-certify their credentials though ASE to remain in the Program.
NJGCA has recently offered an ASE-prep class to help you get ready for the A6, A8, and L1. In doing so, students were welcome to participate in a ten-session preparatory class that covered material for all three ASE exams. We also had a handful of students who joined us only for the A8 or L1 sections.
Once completed, students took their ASE exams with a local ASE-approved test proctor (NJGCA can train you to prepare for the ASE exams, but are not permitted to offer the actual exam - students must make these arrangements individually themselves).
Building on that success, we are now seeking student participation in our next training series session. To make arrangements and organize a session, we need to hear from you!
Replacing Akio Toyoda at the helm of the Japanese automotive giant, Koji Sato was appointed CEO on April 1. In an extended interview with Autocar, he spoke about how the world's best-selling car manufacturer should work on lowering its emissions on the road to becoming carbon neutral by the middle of the century per the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050. He explained there isn't a single solution as the plan is to invest in different technologies. Toyota faces quite a few hurdles as Koji Sato said the durability of solid-state batteries remains a "huge challenge." However, he remains optimistic: "If we get through this point, the energy efficiency will be really fantastic. We're on that – but we still need some time." In January 2022, Toyota announced it would have a hybrid with a solid-state battery on sale by 2025.
Hyundai and Kia have agreed to settle a $200 million class action lawsuit over increased thefts of certain model vehicles. The lawsuit alleges both companies failed to equip their vehicles with basic security protection, making them easier to steal. About 9 million cars manufactured between 2011 to 2022 lack an immobilizer, allowing for keyless start and easy hotwiring ability. The security breach has long been the subject of an ongoing nationally trending TikTok challenge.
Before a customer visits a restaurant, it’s likely it was visited virtually before they set foot in the door, reports FSR Magazine. Online research about a restaurant is almost as influential as a family or friend recommendation, according to a survey by BentoBox. Diners use these resources to find new restaurants:
Recommendations from family or friends: 89%
Online research: 86%
Discovering by chance in person: 75%
Other media platforms (billboards, podcasts, etc.): 64%
The most popular review sites for online restaurant discovery were Google Maps (40%), Yelp (27%), Facebook Reviews (19%) and TripAdvisor (12%). The survey also asked what diners wanted in a restaurant’s website, and 75% percent said they would be more likely to choose an eatery with a high-quality site.
A word of advice for New Jersey motorists gearing up for a summer road trip: Fill up in New Jersey. Despite a sharp increase in the gasoline tax that went into effect in 2016, the Garden State’s retail gas prices remain the lowest in the region: $3.40 a gallon, as of last Friday, or 16 cents a gallon lower than New York and Pennsylvania, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. “Even if we go up a couple cents, we’re still going be lower than where we were when prices peaked (a month ago), so barring a major hurricane, I think there’s a good potential that we have seen prices peak for the year in New Jersey,” said Patrick De-Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.
Rios, the general manager of New Jersey marine terminals, said he’s excited about the prospect of a driverless machine cleaning streets, warehouses and parking lots throughout the ports. It's a short and sleek robot that acts kind of like a Roomba, the robotic vacuum that people buy for their homes. Right now, the agency uses typical human-driven street sweepers to suck up garbage on the 60 miles of road across the ports in the two states, as well as 18,000 linear feet of public wharf space that a cleaning crew is responsible for clearing of trash. Those machines are limited because they aren’t used at night, when there’s low visibility; they require someone to operate; they are too big to reach more complex areas, like the berths by the water; and they can't be used inside warehouses because of their size and because they run on diesel. The autonomous vehicle the Port Authority is piloting, which was manufactured by Finland-based Trombia Technologies, would solve most of those issues as an all-electric smaller sweeper that doesn’t require a driver.
News 12 has learned a group armed with a machete and bats attacked a mechanic shop owner and one of his employees in Paterson two weeks ago. The victims -- Edwin Izaguirra and Randy Campos – filed a police report with the Paterson Police Department claiming the attack all started because one of their customers parked in a spot where the alleged attackers did not want them to park. . .Surveillance cameras caught the assault where at least eight men attacked Izaguirra with metal and wooden bats and a machete.
5/23/23
Beware This Possible NJ Gas Station Scam: Did You Get What You Paid For? Drivers have been urged to pay attention at the gas pump after one person shared her experience while paying cash. A Hamilton resident using the NextDoor community app said that she asked for $30 cash at the Shell station on Quakerbridge but didn't get what she paid for. The woman said the pump read as if it had dispensed $20 and the attendant asked if she wanted the rest. After pulling away, she figured out that she had actually only gotten about $10 worth of gas based on her vehicle’s dashboard data. She said after she returned, the attendant quickly refunded her $20. . .The most common advice was always asking for a receipt and paying attention to the gas pump as a tank was being filled.
State lawmakers are looking to provide New Jersey’s small businesses with new tools to help them become more tech-savvy, taking the effort out of developing websites and social-media pages that can drive online sales. Legislation that cleared the Senate on Monday calls for establishing new government services to help businesses with fewer than 25 employees adapt to what sponsors have called an increasingly “tech-centric” economy. Among other tools, the bill — which now goes to Gov. Phil Murphy for final approval — would offer small businesses assistance launching and maintaining websites and social-media profiles, as well as help using digital payroll, inventory and sales services that can improve overall efficiency. The goal is to help make starting a new business a less daunting challenge, especially for those lacking the type of tech skills that are needed to develop and maintain strong online operations and sales.
Yet another NJ Transit initiative that could be delayed or put at risk because the agency doesn't have constitutionally dedicated sources of money is the effort to transition its fleet to zero-emission buses. Thanks to some initial federal grant money, the agency has made progress developing plans to make the switch, but the real challenge will be finding the money for the needed upgrades to some of its aging garages so they can store and charge batteries on zero-emission buses, Mark Tuozzolo, the agency's acting senior director of capital planning, told the agency's sustainability committee on Wednesday. The project "requires sustainable and dependable funding to program major infrastructure improvements, expansions, and additions" required for the transition, he told the committee. The garages throughout the state are in various states of repair. Some of the oldest were built as donkey trolley barns decades ago, he said.
Each week, the Energy Information Administration publishes a list of average gasoline prices for the previous three weeks. NJGCA will begin including this list with the Weekly Road Warrior. Remember, these prices are reflective of self-serve everywhere except NJ.
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