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The new minimum wage law takes effect in a little over three months, but it’s not as straightforward as you may think. How much the minimum wage will rise and when depends in part on the size and type of business, and the age and position of the employee.

NJBIA Vice President Mike Wallace has put together a new Fast Facts that breaks it all down, and offers members a handy chart on when the different provisions of the law take effect.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed A-15 on Feb.  4., setting New Jersey on the path to raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2024 for most businesses. For most businesses, the minimum wage will increase to $10 per hour on July 1 and $11 per hour on Jan. 1, 2020. Wages will increase at a slower rate for very small businesses and certain seasonal businesses. The law also provides for a training wage and has exemptions for qualified minors, some part-time employees, certain salespersons, and others.

“NJBIA was able to negotiate certain provisions that will help protect businesses that are especially vulnerable to such a large mandated wage hike,” Wallace said. “We did not, however, get some critical provisions that would call for an economic analysis and tax credits for small businesses, to name a few, that we continue to work on.

“This Fast Facts will help member companies take advantage of provisions that are designed to help them cope with this change in New Jersey’s wage and hour law,” he said.

NJBIA Fast Facts compliance briefs are a free service available only to NJBIA member companies. Go here to download the minimum wage Fast Facts (password required).

NJBIA also wants to hear from businesses about how the minimum wage increase is impacting them. Please email NJBIA at minimumwage@njbia.org to tell us the actions you’re taking now and into the phasing in of the law in July ($10 an hour) and again in January 2020 ($11 an hour). NJBIA will continue to relate these impacts in real time to our policymakers. The more information we have, the better armed we will be to seek corrective legislation on your behalf.