By a vote of 315 to 116, the U.S. House of Representatives voted last week to approve legislation that would boost the federal minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour in three steps over a period of 26 months. The measure now moves to the Senate for consideration.
The HR Management & Compliance Report: How To Comply with California Wage & Hour Law, explains everything you need to know to stay in compliance with the state’s complex and ever-changing rules, laws, and regulations in this area. Coverage on bonuses, meal and rest breaks, overtime, alternative workweeks, final paychecks, and more.
Under the legislation, the federal minimum wage would increase to $5.85 an hour effective on the 60th day after the bill is enacted. The minimum wage would increase to $6.55 an hour 12 months after the first increase becomes effective. In the third step, the minimum wage would rise to $7.25 per hour beginning 24 months after the first increase becomes effective.
Note that California employers will remain subject to the higher California minimum wage, which jumped to $7.50 per hour on Jan. 1, 2007 and will increase to $8.00 per hour on Jan. 1, 2008.
Additional Resources:
Wage and Hour: Minimum Wage Going Up in California; What Employers Must Know
Minimum Wage FAQ California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement