Wage & Hour Law Update: New year, new money!

New year, new money! Minimum wages are (mostly) rising in 2019:

- In the State of New York the statewide minimum wage will increase on Dec. 31, with new rates ranging from $11.10 to $15.00 depending on the employer’s size, location and industry.

- Locally, the City of New York has enacted the nation’s first-of-its-kind minimum wage for app-hailed drivers (Uber, Lyft), clocking in at $17.22 after expenses.

- New Jersey's minimum rate also sees a rise in the new year, but it’s a paltry one: .25 cents to $8.85 per hour

- But the news is worse on the federal level, as the federal minimum wage remains stalled at $7.25, where it's been since 2009

- Still, the momentum continues for increases at the state & local levels. Where is the grass the greenest in 2019? Seattle, where the hourly rate for workers at large employers (those with 500+ on staff) increases to $16.