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Public Sector

Day in the Life: How a State Government Created Digital Access to Working Papers for Minors

A new digital process ensures that young citizens experience a secure and more efficient experience obtaining working papers. 

A first job is a rite of passage for many young teens in the U.S. The process of getting permission to work can often feel frustrating, with teen employees asked to manually fill in a vast array of paperwork, writing the same information over and over as they attempt to take the first step into the workforce. It feels confusing enough as a teen to begin to navigate adulthood without the added burden of navigating complex and time-consuming paperwork to obtain permission to enter the job market.

The solution one state government found was to create a digital platform with the goal of streamlining job applications, improving security and allowing easier access to the labor market for young citizens. 

Sarah's story: permission to earn, granted

Here is Sarah’s story—a fictional, day in the life account of one minor’s journey to earning an income.

Like many teenagers, Sarah is a typical high school student who wants to earn some money and get work experience. However, there is a hurdle she needs to overcome—the process of obtaining working papers.  

Obtaining working papers involves trips to the school office, coordinating with parents and filling out paperwork, which often feels like a bureaucratic chore. Sarah has tried this process before, but all the paperwork that’s required has made the process too complex and time-consuming.

One day, Sarah spots an online announcement regarding the introduction of a new online application process for minors. This means that teenagers like Sarah would no longer have to manually fill in paperwork. Intrigued, Sarah visits the official website. To her delight, she encounters a simplified application process. 

Sarah promptly inputs her caregiver's information along with her employer's code, and her application receives swift approval. Success!

Benefits of using a digital platform for working papers

Here are some of the benefits of the new process for young citizens and government agencies.

For job applicants:

  • Convenience: A streamlined online application platform enables young citizens like Sarah, their caregivers and employers to fill in their respective parts without the old, complicated process of using paper forms
  • Safety: The new process enables better safety measures by matching the applicant’s information with jobs where minors are not exposed to a harmful environment or working conditions

For government agencies:

  • Efficiency: The government can process many more applications, allowing agencies to reach the end user (citizen) much faster; internal employees in the agencies no longer feel the pressure to get manual paperwork done
  • Avoiding mistakes: Some jobs are not suitable or safe for working minors, for example, being exposed to chemicals
  • Enforcement: Digital paperwork is all in one place and protected by data-backed policies and rules

The digital revolution for finding work is here.

A digital job application platform enables young citizens to obtain their working papers without the difficulty of using paper forms. The benefits of using a digital platform include greater data security, reduced errors and streamlined time to approval for permission to start working. 

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Aseem Gupta
Aseem Gupta
Executive Client Partner, State & Local

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