labor lawAdivision of labor law center

The Connecticut minimum wage will increase by 35 cents from $7.65 to $8.00 per hour on January 1, 2009.

The Connecticut minimum wage increase is statutory, meaning it was voted as part of state laws, rather than being a cost-of-living increase. A number of states, including Florida, Vermont, Washington and Oregon increase the minimum wage each year to adjust for inflation. Connecticut does not.

The state minimum wage is being increased by statute in New Mexico, as well as Connecticut. In New Mexico, the minimum wage will go from $6.50 to $7.50 per hour on January 1, 2009.

The Connecticut minimum wage will increase again, from $8.00 to $8.25 per hour, on January 1, 2010.

A little-known provision of Connecticut law permits (more…)

On January 1, 2009, the Vermont minimum wage will increase by 38 cents, from $7.68 per hour to $8.06 per hour. This increase puts the Vermont minimum wage in the top five in the nation. The nation’s highest minimum wage is in Washington, at $8.55 per hour in 2009. The second highest minimum wage is in Oregon, at $8.40 per hour.

The Vermont minimum wage for tipped employees increases on January 1, 2009 by 19 cents, from $3.72 per hour to $3.91 per hour. Under state law, this amount applies to “a service or tipped employee.” This is defined as an employee of a hotel, motel, tourist place or restaurant who customarily and regularly receives more than $120 per month in tips. If the employee’s tips plus wages does not average at least the Vermont minimum wage over the pay period, the employer must pay the difference to the employee, in wages.

Every Vermont employer is required to prominently display a number of labor law posters, including the Vermont minimum wage poster. Failure to do so can result in citations, fines and penalties. (more…)

On January 1, 2009 the Ohio minimum wage increases by 30 cents from $7.00 to $7.30 per hour.  

On that same date, the Ohio minimum wage for tipped employees increases by 15 cents, from $3.50 to $3.65 per hour, according to the Ohio Department of Commerce. Any tipped Ohio employee who does not average $3.65 per hour in tips must be paid the difference in wages by the employer.

Under Ohio law, smaller companies can pay employers less. Companies with revenue less than $267,000 in 2009 can pay just $6.55 under the Ohio minimum wage law. However, when the federal minimum wage increases on July 24, 2009, they must pay at least $7.25 per hour. Youths who are 14 and 15 years of age can also be paid these reduced wages.

A constitutional amendment passed by Ohio voters (more…)

The New Hampshire Department of Labor in Concord has issued an employer alert regarding direct deposit.

The New Hampshire Department of Labor has received a number of complaints that employers are requiring direct deposit and/or pay cards for payroll. This is not legal, under New Hampshire law. Every employer must offer a check for payment of wages at no cost to the employee, if requested. In addition, the check must be on a financial institution convenient to the place of employment. Employees must be able to cash their paychecks and receive the full amount of payment due. In other words, the nearby financial institution may not charge a fee for cashing the checks.

New Hampshire employers may opt to offer direct deposit and authorized pay cards as payment. However, they cannot require that employees use one of these payment methods. Every employee is entitled to payment by payroll check, if he or she prefers.

Under RS 275:43, employers must pay workers in cash. An acceptable alternative is a payroll check drawn on a nearby bank, or a (more…)

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…)