labor lawAdivision of labor law center

On January 1, 2009 the New Mexico minimum wage will increase by $1.00, from $6.50 to $7.50 per hour. This is the largest increase for any state with the new year.

Under the New Mexico Minimum Wage Act, employers can pay just $2.13 per hour to employees who regularly and customarily receive tips of more than $30 per month. However, for any pay period in which the employee does not average  $5.37 per hour in tips, the employer must make up the difference in wages.

Like many states, the New Mexico minimum wage includes myriad exceptions, including exceptions for employees in domestic service in or about a private home, for federal employees, and for agricultural employees. Volunteers for educational, charitable, religious or nonprofit organizations are exempt from the New Mexico minimum wage laws. So are students working after school or on vacation.

A little-known and little-used provision of the law (more…)

Employers should take a few minutes to update their 2009 minimum wage posters.

Every employer is required by law to display a number of labor law posters, including those on the federal and state minimum wage. These posters must be updated each time the law is changed.

The best way for employers to keep labor law posters updated, is to subscribe to a compliance protection plan. For a nominal fee, these services will send employers updated posters whenever they are necessary. This service provides high-quality, durable, easy-to-read posters.  

Employers should have updated their federal minimum wage posters federal minimum wage posters in July 2008, when the rate went from $5.85 to $6.55 per hour. The federal minimum wage will increase again on July 24, 2009, requiring employers to update their posters.

A number of states will increase the minimum wage on January 1, 2009. Some states (more…)