This page covers what is specific to Dover: local employers, seasonal hiring, and where to get help. For the statewide rules, see the Delaware EARNS requirements and deadlines.
ZIP codes with a Dover mailing address had 3,224 business locations in 2023, with about 37,943 people on payroll in the March pay period.
At least 1,227 of the 3,224 locations had 5 or more employees on site, the headcount at which Delaware EARNS starts to apply. The law counts all of an employer's Delaware employees, not one location, so treat this as a local indicator.
The most common types of business in these ZIP codes are professional, scientific and technical services (684 locations), retail trade (390 locations) and health care and social assistance (352 locations). Across Kent County, the largest industry by employment is health care and social assistance (12,503 jobs), and private leisure and hospitality employment ran from 7,441 in January 2024 to 8,121 in May 2024.
354 of the 3,224 business locations in Dover's ZIP codes are in accommodation and food services or arts, entertainment and recreation, the leisure and hospitality industries where staffing levels tend to change with the season. Delaware counts employees under 19 Del. C. §3802(3). The rule reads: “employs, and during the previous calendar year employed, at least 5 covered employees”. If your Dover business's headcount rises and falls during the year, that wording decides whether you meet the threshold, so confirm your status with Delaware EARNS.
Free one-on-one advising for Dover businesses is available from the Delaware SBDC - Kent County, the Delaware SBDC's Kent County office in Dover, hosted by Delaware State University.
Local business network for Dover: Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce.
Delaware EARNS employer assistance: 1-855-934-3701.
If your business has 5 or more employees in Delaware and offers no qualified retirement plan, Delaware EARNS requires you to register or certify an exemption. All announced registration deadlines have passed.
Book a free 15-minute compliance audit. We'll show your exact requirement, your real exposure, and whether your own plan saves you money.