In February of 2019, Governor Murphy signed a bill that gradually increases the minimum wage, over the span of multiple years, to $15.00 per hour. The minimum wage for most employees is currently $8.85 per hour. However, the minimum wage will increase on July 1, 2019.
On February 4, 2019, Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation to increase New Jersey’s hourly minimum wage rate from $8 to $15 (“A-15”). A discussion of key provisions of A-15 can be found here.
In addition to increasing the minimum wage, A-15 allows employers (“Employer”) who employ persons with impairments to receive up to $10 million in tax credits (“Tax Credits”) to offset the cost to an Employer of any increases in wages and payroll taxes for an impaired employee as a result of A-15.
In accordance with an agreement reached between the Governor and legislative leaders earlier this month, the New Jersey Legislature approved legislation, A-15 (the “Bill”), on January 31, 2019 to increase the state hourly minimum wage requirement from $8.85 to $15 over a five (5) year period. The Governor is expected to sign the Bill into law on Monday, February 4, 2019.
On January 17, 2019, Governor Phil Murphy and Legislative Leaders announced the collective decision to raise the minimum wage rate in New Jersey from $8.85 per hour to $15 per hour for most businesses over a five (5) year period. On January 24, 2019, the New Jersey Assembly's Labor Committee approved legislation (Assembly Bill A-15) that would implement the minimum wage increase. If approved by other Legislative Committees, passed by both the full Assembly and Senate, and signed into law by the Governor in its present form, key provisions of Bill A-15 include the following