This page covers what is specific to Ocean City: local employers, seasonal hiring, and where to get help. For the statewide rules, see the RetireReady NJ requirements and deadlines.
ZIP codes with an Ocean City mailing address had 571 business locations in 2023, with about 3,283 people on payroll in the March pay period.
At least 91 of the 571 locations had 10 or more employees on site, the headcount at which RetireReady NJ starts to apply. The law counts all of an employer's New Jersey employees, not one location, so treat this as a local indicator.
The most common types of business in these ZIP codes are accommodation and food services (134 locations), retail trade (109 locations) and other services (58 locations). Across Cape May County, the largest industry by employment is retail trade (6,267 jobs), and private leisure and hospitality employment ran from 6,256 in January 2024 to 23,803 in July 2024.
154 of the 571 business locations in Ocean City'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. New Jersey counts employees under N.J.S.A. 43:23-14. The rule reads: “at no time during the previous calendar year employed fewer than 10 employees in the State”. If your Ocean City business's headcount rises and falls during the year, that wording decides whether you meet the threshold, so confirm your status with RetireReady NJ.
Free one-on-one advising for Ocean City businesses is available from the NJSBDC at Stockton University, the NJSBDC office for Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties, at Stockton University in Atlantic City.
Local business network for Ocean City: Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce.
RetireReady NJ employer assistance: 855-929-4387.
New Jersey lowered the RetireReady NJ threshold from 25 employees to 10 with a law signed in January 2026 (effective April 1, 2026). If your business has 10 or more New Jersey employees, has operated for at least two years, and offers no qualified retirement plan, you must register or certify an exemption. Upcoming deadlines: 20–24 employees by December 1, 2026; 10–19 employees by February 17, 2027.
Book a free 15-minute compliance audit. We'll show your exact requirement, your real exposure, and whether your own plan saves you money.