New year minimum wage goes into effect in NY, NJ and CT
NEW YORK (WABC) -- A new year means a new wage for many across the Tri-State area.
As of Jan. 1, New York City, Westchester County and Long Island will raise its minimum wage by a $1 to $16 per hour.
For the rest of New York state, the wage bumps from 14.20 to $15.
Minimum wage earners who do not see the increase reflected in their paychecks are asked to file a complaint on the Department of Labor website or by calling them at (833) 910-4378.
The state's minimum wage is expected to increase every year until it reaches $17 in New York City and its suburbs, and $16 in the rest of the state by 2026.
New York is one of 22 states getting minimum wage rises in the new year, according to a recent report by the Economic Policy Institute.
This most recent pay bump is part of an agreement made last year between Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York state Legislature.
Over in Connecticut, the minimum hourly wage rises from the previous rate of $15, which was implemented in June 2023, to $15.69 per hour.
In New Jersey, the statewide wage is increased by $1 to $15.13.
In a joint statement released Monday about the wage bump surpassing $15, Governor Murphy, Lieutenant Governor Way, Senate President Scutari, and Speaker Coughlin expressed "optimism" for what it will mean for New Jerseyans.
"As we begin a new year full of hope and optimism, we are incredibly proud that New Jersey's statewide minimum wage is now over $15 an hour," the statement read. "When we first began our work together in January 2018, New Jersey's minimum wage was only $8.60 per hour. Today, thanks to the bill signed into law in February 2019, we are one of only a handful of U.S. states with a minimum wage over $15 an hour. And it is also indexed annually to inflation, which means working families won't fall behind when prices go up."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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