New Jersey Minimum Wage Will Rise to $15 Per Hour
On February 4th, 2019, Governor Phil Murphy signed a law that will increase the minimum wage in New Jersey. The law provides for the minimum wage to eventually rise to $15.00 per hour by 2024 for most New Jersey workers.
Current Minimum Wage in New Jersey and Increasing the Minimum Wage
The current minimum wage in New Jersey is $8.85 per hour. In order to increase the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by 2024, the minimum wage will increase gradually. In accordance with the new law, the minimum hourly pay will rise to $10.00 per hour on July 1, 2019. By January 1, 2020, the minimum wage will increase to $11.00 per hour. For each year thereafter, the minimum wage is set to increase by $1.00 per year until 2024, at which point it will have reached $15.00 per hour.
With this legislation, New Jersey has joined California, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington D.C. in raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
Exceptions to the Minimum Wage Increase in New Jersey
There are some exceptions to the minimum wage increase including the following:
Seasonal workers and employees who work at small businesses employing five or fewer workers—the minimum wage will not increase to $15.00 per hour until 2026; and
Farm workers—minimum wage will increase to $12.50 per hour by 2024, with the possibility of raising those workers’ minimum wage to $15.00 an hour by 2027 if approved by state officials.
Contact a New Jersey Labor & Employment Law Attorney
If you have questions about the minimum wage increase or how it will apply to you or your business, please contact our Labor & Employment Law Department today.