A deal on New Jersey's long-negotiated minimum wage Bill, which will affect more than one million workers, has finally been reached.
Governor Phil Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney and assembly speaker Craig Coughlin announced an agreement on legislation to increase the state’s minimum wage to the controversial figure of US$15 an hour. The arrangement comes after months of debate and political wrangling.
If passed, the base minimum wage would rise to US$10 an hour on 1 July 2019. It would then increase by US$1 the following January, and on every 1 January after that until hitting US$15 in 2024, according to NJTV.
The scale shifts a bit for seasonal and workers at employers with five or fewer staff. Their wages will reach the US$15 an hour standard by 1 January 2026. Agricultural workers, who were a key sticking point in the negotiations, will see their pay boosted to US$12.50 an hour within five years.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
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A deal on New Jersey's long-negotiated minimum wage Bill, which will affect more than one million workers, has finally been reached.
Governor Phil Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney and assembly speaker Craig Coughlin announced an agreement on legislation to increase the state’s minimum wage to the controversial figure of US$15 an hour. The arrangement comes after months of debate and political wrangling.
If passed, the base minimum wage would rise to US$10 an hour on 1 July 2019. It would then increase by US$1 the following January, and on every 1 January after that until hitting US$15 in 2024, according to NJTV.
The scale shifts a bit for seasonal and workers at employers with five or fewer staff. Their wages will reach the US$15 an hour standard by 1 January 2026. Agricultural workers, who were a key sticking point in the negotiations, will see their pay boosted to US$12.50 an hour within five years.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
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New Jersey employers look for ways to block a controversial payroll tax
Proposed Jersey City payroll tax under fire from business
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