The minimum wage in Vermont will increase to $8.46 per hour from $8.15 per hour on January 1, 2012, according to a statement from the Vermont Department of Labor.
The state minimum wage increases at the same rate as the Consumer Price Index, as calculated in August, for the preceding year or at five percent, whichever is less.
Also, the basic wage rate for “service and tipped” employees will increase to $4.10 per hour from $3.95. Service or tipped employees are those who customarily and regularly receive more than $120 a month in tips for direct and personal service. Tipped employees’ total earnings during a pay period must equal or exceed $8.46 per hour. If a combination of tips and the basic wage doesn’t meet that requirement, the employer must make up the difference.