Dec 11, 2018

Minimum wage increase bill introduced in state Assembly

A bill (A-15), that would increase the minimum wage in New Jersey was introduced in the Assembly on Dec. 6. The bill provides that, except for certain workers specified by the bill, the minimum wage rate will be:

• increased to $9.50 per hour on July 1, 2019,
• to $11 per hour on Jan. 1, 2020,
• to $11.55 per hour on Jan. 1, 2021, and then
• increased by $1.15 per hour on Jan. 1 of each year from 2022 to 2024, reaching a level of $15 per hour in 2024.

The bill creates several carve outs including one for employers with less than 10 employees. Under the bill employees of any employer with less than 10 employees, the minimum wage rate will be:

• increased to $10.10 per hour on Jan. 1, 2020,
• to $10.35 per hour on Jan. 1, 2022,
• to $10.70 per hour on Jan. 1, 2023,
• to $11.10 per hour on Jan. 1, 2024,
• to $11.70 per hour on Jan. 1, 2025,
• to $12.45 per hour on Jan. 1, 2026,
• to $13.20 per hour on Jan. 1, 2027,
• to $14.10 per hour on Jan. 1, 2028,
• reaching a level of $15 per hour on Jan. 1, 2029.

There is also a different wage scale for tipped workers, seasonal employees, farm laborers and those employees enrolled in a qualified training program.

The bill was referred to the Assembly Labor Committee.