labor lawAdivision of labor law center

On July 24, 2009 when the federal minimum wage increases, the Montana minimum wage will go up, as well.

 

The Montana minimum wage will increase from $6.90 to $7.25 per hour. Under state statute, the Montana minimum wage cannot be lower than the federal minimum wage.

 

When the federal minimum wage changes and/or when a state’s minimum wage changes, employers must display updated labor law posters for all employees. Updated posters are available now at www.laborlawcenter.com.

 

This is the second minimum wage increase in a year – in the middle of a recession – for beleaguered Montana employers. On January 1, 2009 the state minimum wage increased by 35 cents from $6.55 to $6.90 per hour. Now, less than 8 months later, it is slated to increase again.

 

Both the January and July Montana minimum wage increases were voted into law before the current recession. Montana is one of a number of states that increases its minimum wage annually based on the cost of living.

 

At least thirteen other states will raise their minimum wage rate on July 24, 2009. These states, including North Dakota, Maryland and North Carolina, have enacted laws to tie their minimum wage increases to changes in the federal minimum wage.

 

On July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage will increase by 70 cents from $6.55 to $7.25 per hour. The minimum wage in the above-mentioned states will increase on the same day to match the federal rate.

 

The federal minimum wage law applies to the majority of the businesses in the United States. Under this law, businesses who engage in interstate commerce are covered by the federal minimum. Companies with annual earnings of $500,000 or more are covered by the federal minimum wage, too.

 

The federal minimum also applies to individual employees. For example, an administrative assistant places and receives out-of-state phone calls. That employee is engaged in interstate commerce and covered by the federal minimum wage. A worker who ships packages out-of-state would be covered by the federal minimum. In fact, any business that uses emails, accept credit cards or conducts business via the Internet is considered to be engaged in interstate commerce.

 

In today’s world of modern technology, very few companies do not utilize at least one of these tools.

 

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