KemLaw

Connecticut made news in 2014 when it became the first state in the nation to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour in three annual steps.

The second of those steps – a rise to $9.60 an hour – goes into effect on January 1, 2016. The final increase will occur on January 1, 2017. There will still be allowable subminimum wages permitted for minors, and waiters and bartenders are still working on a different wage schedule.

How does Connecticut compare to neighboring states?

Here’s a rundown:

• Massachusetts: $10.00 eff. 1-1-16 / $11.00 eff. 1-1-17
• Rhode Island: $9.60 eff. 1-1-16
• Vermont: $9.60 eff. 1-1-16 / $10.00 eff. 1-1-17 / $10.50 eff. 1-1-18
• Maine: $7.50 effective now
• New Hampshire: $7.25
• New York: $9.00 eff. 12-31-15
• New Jersey: $8.38 effective now

Other states raising their minimum wages to an extent similar to Connecticut include California, Hawaii, and Maryland.

The Federal minimum wage currently stands at $7.25 an hour.

If you have questions about wage laws in Connecticut, consider contacting a law firm with extensive experience in this area of the law. The attorneys at Kainen, Escalera & McHale each have over 20 years of experience in all aspects of employment law and the rights of employers. Please contact us if we can help you.

The information provided above is made available by Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C. for educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide specific legal advice to your individual circumstances or legal questions. You acknowledge that neither your reading of, nor posting on, this site establishes an attorney-client relationship between you and our law firm, or any of the attorneys in our firm. This information should not be used as a substitute for seeking competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state nor is it provided for the specific purpose of soliciting your business on any particular matter. Readers of this information should not act upon anything communicated in it without seeking professional counsel.