This page covers what is specific to Middletown: local employers, seasonal hiring, and where to get help. For the statewide rules, see the Delaware EARNS requirements and deadlines.
ZIP codes with a Middletown mailing address had 1,166 business locations in 2023, with about 14,835 people on payroll in the March pay period.
At least 482 of the 1,166 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 (187 locations), retail trade (137 locations) and health care and social assistance (132 locations). Across New Castle County, the largest industry by employment is health care and social assistance (50,428 jobs), and private leisure and hospitality employment ran from 27,336 in January 2024 to 30,086 in July 2024.
134 of the 1,166 business locations in Middletown'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 Middletown 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 Middletown businesses is available from the Delaware SBDC - New Castle County, the Delaware SBDC's New Castle County office in Newark.
Local business network for Middletown: Middletown Area 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.