In early 2013, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill that incrementally increased the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $9 between December 31, 2013, and December 31, 2015. Less than two years later, the governor has unveiled a new proposal to further increase the state’s minimum wage. Indeed, just weeks after New York's minimum wage rose to $8.75 per hour – $1.50 more than the federal rate – Governor Cuomo announced a plan to increase the minimum wage to $11.50 per hour in New York City by the end of 2016, and $10.50 throughout the rest of the empire state. The proposal is greatly at odds with the Governor’s comments made last spring that raising the City’s minimum wage above the rest of the state would cause a “chaotic situation.”
We anticipate that Democratic lawmakers will introduce legislation in the coming months to effectuate the Governor's proposal. Stay tuned for future updates as we learn more.
This article is presented for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice.