Officials with the New Jersey Department of Labor are visiting boardwalks, farms and shopping malls this summer, making sure young workers are not doing more than state law allows.

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You have to be 16 years of age to work at a boardwalk job, but some kids as young as 12 take jobs at New Jersey's farms.

"We're keeping an eye on employers, making sure they get their required meal breaks and making sure they are not exceeding the number of hours they're allowed to work" said John Monahan, with the State Department of Labor.

The state Labor Standards and Safety Enforcement Program does yearly sweeps and investigates thousands of total complaints per year.

Last year, 300 businesses were cited for violations of child labor laws.

"We consult with employers and we look at their records to make sure they are complying with what's in the books" said Monahan.

If parents have questions about where their child is working this summer and if an employer is following the law, they can visit the state labor website.

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