Tag Archive for: Minimum Wage

Arkansas 2015 Minimum Wage Increase

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Arkansas increased its 2015 minimum wage rate to $7.50 per hour effective January 1, 2015. The 20 percent increase finally pushes the Arkansas’ State minimum wage rate to a level higher than the Federal minimum wage.

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The current Arkansas minimum wage was established in 2006 and applies to employers with four or more employees, with certain exceptions:

  • Executive, administrative, or professional employees
  • Outside commission-paid salesmen
  • Independent contractors
  • Employees of the United States
  • Certain students and farm laborers

Arkansas Planned Minimum Wage Increases

Arkansas minimum wage workers will see additional increases in 2016 and 2017.

  • 2014: $6.25
  • 2015: $7.50
  • 2016: $8.00
  • 2017: $8.50

Arkansas Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers

Tipped workers will not see an increase in their base minimum wage of $2.63, because Arkansas is increasing the allowance for gratuities each year. For math lovers, the equation looks something like this:

(Minimum Wage Rate) – (Gratuity Allowance) = Base Minimum Wage

Arkansas Schedule of Gratuity Allowances

  • 2014: $3.62 per hour
  • 2015: $4.87 per hour
  • 2016: $5.37 per hour
  • 2017: $5.87 per hour

Arkansas Minimum Wage Poster

The Arkansas Minimum Wage poster is required for Arkansas employers with four or more employees and must be displayed in a conspicuous location. The minimum wage posting, along with other postings required for display in Arkansas workplaces, is available as part of the GovDocs Arkansas Poster Compliance Package. Order now and save 20% with coupon code 2015MIN.

The Arkansas Poster Compliance Package includes:

  • How to Claim Unemployment Insurance
  • Workers’ Compensation Notice
  • Notice to Employer/Employee – General (MINIMUM WAGE)
  • Right to Know
  • No Smoking Poster

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2015 Missouri Minimum Wage Increase Announced

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The Missouri Department of Labor increased the 2015 Missouri minimum wage to $7.65 per hour. The new rate, which is a two percent increase over the 2014 rate, goes into effect January 1, 2015 for Missouri minimum-wage workers.

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Missouri is among the 10 states in the U.S. whose minimum wage rate is tied to rates of inflation. Using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Therefore, each year, the state minimum wage rate can be automatically adjusted up or down based on the latest CPI numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Missouri Tipped Employees

Compensation for tipped employees must total at least $7.65 per hour, and employers of tipped workers are required to pay tipped employees at least 50 percent of the minimum wage, which is equal to $3.825 per hour.

Employers engaged in retail or service businesses whose annual gross income is less than $500,000 are not required to pay the state minimum wage rate. Employers not subject to the minimum wage law can pay employees wages of their choosing.

Missouri Home Care Workers

Missouri home care attendants belonging to the Missouri Consumer-Directed Services Program may soon see big pay increases if a new contract is approved. Under the agreement, consumers in the consumer-directed services program would have the right to choose what their attendant earns in a range from $8.50 an hour to $10.15 an hour. The agreement must now be ratified by the Missouri Quality Home Care Council and by the members of the Missouri Home Care Union.

Missouri Required Workplace Postings

The revised Missouri Minimum Wage posting is part of the GovDocs Missouri Posting Compliance Package, along with other postings required for Missouri workplaces.

  • Workers’ Compensation
  • Unemployment Insurance
  • Discrimination in Employment
  • Discrimination in Public Accommodation
  • Youth Employment List
  • Minimum Wage
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New Jersey 2015 Minimum Wage Increase

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The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced a 2015 minimum wage increase to $8.38 per hour effective January 1, 2015.

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The New Jersey Minimum Wage Advisory Commission reviews the rate annually to determine if the amount is adequate for employees to meet the changes in cost of living. The State stops short, however, of “indexing” the rate automatically to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as ten other U.S. state do, such as Arizona. Governor Chris Christie has not supported any automatic adjustments to the New Jersey minimum wage rate, vetoing efforts to index the New Jersey minimum wage.

Governor Christie explains that he is tired of talking about minimum wage, because he wants to focus on creating higher-wage jobs.

YouTube video

New Jersey Tipped Workers

The New Jersey minimum wage rate includes a “tipping allowance”, meaning that food servers and other occupations that typically earn tips as a normal part of their duties must earn at least the Federal minimum wage rate for tipped workers, which is $2.13 per hour. However, if a tipped employee earns less than the New Jersey State minimum wage, employers must make up any difference in the base wage and tips so that the tipped worker earns at least the New Jersey minimum wage rate.

The New Jersey legislature is considering a Bill (A857) that would raise the State’s base wage rate for tipped workers to $5.70 per hour by the end of 2015.

New Jersey 2015 Minimum Wage Poster

New Jersey employers must display the New Jersey State Wage and Hour Law Abstract in a conspicuous location. The posting and other postings are included in the GovDocs New Jersey Poster Compliance Package. Employers can save 20% on all labor law poster purchases using GovDocs coupon code 2015MIN.

The New Jersey Compliance Poster Package includes:

  • Unemployment and Disability Insurance
  • State Wage and Hour Abstract
  • Schedule of Hours for Minors
  • Child Labor Law Abstract
  • Discrimination in Employment
  • Payment of Wages
  • Notice (Workers’ Compensation)
  • Family Leave Act
  • Conscientious Employee Protection Act (Whistleblower)
  • Smoking Prohibited
  • Family Leave Insurance
  • Employer Obligation to Maintain and Report Records
  • SAFE Act
  • Gender Inequity
  • Gender Inequity (Spanish)

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Arizona 2015 Minimum Wage Increase

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The Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA) announced an increase of Arizona’s minimum wage to $8.05 per hour effective January 1, 2015. The $0.15 raise is a 1.9 percent increase over the 2014 rate of $7.90 per hour affecting more than 24,000 Arizona minimum wage workers.

The ICA administers and enforces the State’s minimum wage

Arizona Tipped Workers Minimum Wage

Employees who are tipped earn a base rate of $5.05 per hour thanks to a $3 tip credit.

Tipped workers include people who customarily receives tips, typically in the restaurant, hospitality, and personal services industries:

  • Food servers
  • Bussers
  • Bartenders
  • Bellhops / Valets
  • Car wash attendants
  • Hairdressers / Barbers

Arizona Annual Minimum Wage Calculation

Arizona’s minimum wage can be adjusted annually based on increases in the cost of living based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Any adjustments to the Arizona minimum wage are rounded to the nearest nickel (five-cent increments).

Arizona is one of 10 states in the U.S. that indexes the minimum wage to adjust to the cost of living:

  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Florida
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Vermont
  • Washington

History of Arizona Minimum Wage

The State enacted the Arizona Minimum Wage Act (Proposition 202) in 2006 after a successful ballot measure. The table below shows Arizona’s minimum wage rates since 2006 and the percentage of increase for each year, if any.

 

Year Minimum Wage % Change
2006 $5.15* NA
2007 $6.75 31.068%
2008 $6.90 2.222%
2009 $7.25 5.072%
2010 $7.25 0.000%
2011 $7.35 1.379%
2012 $7.65 4.082%
2013 $7.80 1.961%
2014 $7.90 1.282%
2015 $8.05 1.899%

*Pre-indexed rate.

Arizona Minimum Wage Poster

Arizona employers are required to display the most current Arizona Minimum Wage Poster, which is included as part of GovDocs’ Arizona Workplace Poster Packages, along with other required postings:

  • Unemployment Compensation
  • Workers’ Compensation Insurance (Memo)
  • Employee Safety & Health Protection
  • Prohibition of Discrimination
  • Work Exposure to Bodily Fluids
  • Constructive Discharge
  • Minimum Wage
  • No Smoking Poster
  • E-Verify
  • Right to Work
  • Work Exposure to MRSA, Spinal Meningitis, or TB

Arizona employers can save 20% off all workplace poster purchases using GovDocs coupon code 2015MIN.

Ohio 2015 Minimum Wage Increase Announced

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The Ohio Department of Commerce announced the State’s 2015 minimum wage rate of $8.10 for non-tipped workers, which is effective January 1, 2015.

Ohio’s 2015 minimum wage gives low-wage earners an hourly boost of 15 cents over the 2014 rate of $7.95.

What is the Minimum Wage for Non-Tipped Workers in Ohio?

Ohio’s minimum wage rate for tipped employees increased to $4.05 per hour.

Which Employers are Required to Pay the Minimum Wage?

Ohio employers with annual gross receipts of more than $297,000 per year are required to pay employees at least the minimum wage.

Why Does the Ohio Minimum Wage Change So Often?

The Ohio minimum wage is adjusted annually to reflect fluctuations in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The 2015 minimum wage rate represents an 18 percent increase over the 2007 rate after voters amended the State Constitution (Issue 2) to index the minimum wage, meaning that if inflation increases, the rate will adjust to help offset the effect on low-wage workers.

Ohio minimum-wage workers have received an average increase of 16 cents each year in the past eight years to compensate for the rate of inflation.

Ohio Minimum Wage Poster

GovDocs provides the Ohio Minimum Wage posting and other posting required for Ohio workplaces as part of the GovDocs Ohio Workplace Poster Packages, which includes:

  • Unemployment Insurance
  • Minimum Wage
  • Minor Labor Law
  • Ohio Fair Employment Practices Law
  • Rebuttable Presumption Law
  • No Smoking

Ohio employers can save 20% off all workplace posters using the GovDocs coupon code 2015MIN.

 

Oregon’s 2015 Minimum Wage Increase Announced

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Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) announced a 15-cent increase to the State minimum wage. The 1.6 percent increase brings the Oregon minimum wage to $9.25 an hour beginning Jan. 1, 2015.

According to Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, the wage increase will affect eight percent of Oregon’s workforce (approximately 141,000 workers). The chart below reflects changes to Oregon’s minimum wage based on the CPI adjustments since 2002 when voters passed an initiative to calculate the minimum wage rate based on adjustments to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Oregon Minimum Wage Posting Requirement

The revised minimum wage poster is required for all employers in Oregon to display in a conspicuous location by the January 1, 2015 effective date. GovDocs includes this posting along with others required by the State of Oregon as part of the GovDocs Oregon Poster Compliance Packages, which include:

  • Minimum Wage
  • Safety & Health Protection on the Job
  • Family Leave
  • No Smoking
  • Domestic Violence, Harassment, Sexual Assault or Stalking (DVHSAS)

 

How Do Minimum Wage Increases Affect the Economy?

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