New York State has resolved to raise the minimum wage before the new year.
The state’s minimum wage increases will take effect Dec. 31, according to a Wednesday release by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office, raising minimum pay to $15 per hour for New York City’s larger employers.
The increases are part of scheduled, gradual minimum wage hikes established in the state’s 2016-2017 budget. Varying raises are planned throughout the state through 2021.
"With the historic increase in the minimum wage, New York continues to set a national example in the fight for economic justice," Cuomo said in a statement. "In New York, we believe in a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work and are proud to be stepping up for hardworking families and making a real difference in the lives of New Yorkers. We won’t stop until every New Yorker is paid the fair wages they deserve."
At the end of the year, city employers with 11 or more workers must pay a $15 minimum wage — a jump from the current minimum of $13 an hour.
The city’s smaller business with fewer than 11 employees are keeping to a longer timetable. Those companies will have to increase their minimum wages from $12 an hour to $13.50 an hour by the end of the year and will have until Dec. 31, 2019, to reach a $15 minimum wage.
Business in Long Island and Westchester have until the end of 2021 to meet the $15 minimum wage. Companies in the rest of the state must provide a $15.50 minimum wage by Dec. 31, 2020.
The Governor’s office also launched a wage theft hotline Wednesday where workers can report employers not complying with the mandate. If you believe you are being underpaid, the state encourages you to call 1-888-4-NYSDOL.
