This page covers what is specific to Lewes: local employers, seasonal hiring, and where to get help. For the statewide rules, see the Delaware EARNS requirements and deadlines.
ZIP codes with a Lewes mailing address had 1,261 business locations in 2023, with about 12,658 people on payroll in the March pay period.
At least 479 of the 1,261 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 (305 locations), health care and social assistance (141 locations) and retail trade (126 locations). Across Sussex County, the largest industry by employment is health care and social assistance (13,499 jobs), and private leisure and hospitality employment ran from 13,392 in January 2024 to 21,576 in July 2024.
118 of the 1,261 business locations in Lewes'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 Lewes 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 Lewes businesses is available from the Delaware SBDC - Sussex County, the Delaware SBDC's Sussex County office in Georgetown.
Local business network for Lewes: Lewes 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.