The New Jersey Department of Labor (DOL) has announced the minimum wage rate will increase by six cents from $8.38 to $8.44 an hour, effective January 1, 2017. As the New Jersey minimum wage rate will continue to be higher than the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25 an hour, New Jersey employers (that are otherwise not exempted by industry or occupation) must continue to comply with the New Jersey rate.
On a related note, the New Jersey State Senate recently proposed a bill (S15) that attempted to boost New Jersey’s minimum wage to $15.00 an hour. The goal of the Bill was to initially increase the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour and then annually on January 1 from 2018 to 2021. That Bill also stated that if the federal minimum hourly wage rate set by the Fair Labor Standards Act should increase above New Jersey’s minimum hourly wage, then the State minimum wage rate would be increased to match it. However, Governor Chris Christie vetoed the Bill on August 30, 2016.
Please contact the attorneys of Connell Foley’s labor and employment practice if you have any questions in preparation for the new minimum wage rate going into effect.
PartnerMichael Shadiack is the Chair of Connell Foley LLP’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. Representing a broad spectrum of employers and management personnel in the private and public sectors, he provides litigation defense and ...
PartnerLauren Iannaccone’s broad range of experience in complex commercial transactions allows her to respond to significant emergent matters and assist clients efficiently and effectively. Lauren’s litigation experience ...