NEW YORK, NY— More than a million workers in New York City could see their hourly pay climb to $30 under legislation a City Council member plans to introduce that would phase in one of the highest minimum wages in the United States.
Councilmember Sandra Nurse said the bill would raise the city’s minimum wage in stages, reaching $30 an hour by 2030 for large employers. The current minimum wage stands at $17.
The Brooklyn Democrat plans to launch the legislative push with a rally on the steps of City Hall.
Supporters say the proposal responds to rising living costs across the city.
Nurse said the current minimum wage leaves many workers struggling to meet basic expenses.
“That’s essentially a crisis for most people on a weekly basis,” Nurse said.
The measure would affect more than one million workers who earn the city’s minimum wage, more than a quarter of the local labor force, according to a 2023 report from then–City Comptroller Brad Lander.
The legislation outlines different timelines for large and small employers.
Companies with more than 500 employees would have to raise wages to $20 an hour by 2027 and reach $30 an hour by 2030.
Businesses with fewer than 500 employees would increase pay to $21.50 by 2028 and reach $30 an hour by 2032. Future increases would be tied to changes in the cost of living.
No U.S. city currently requires a $30 minimum wage.
Several cities have adopted higher wage floors in recent years. Workers in Flagstaff earn at least $18.35 an hour. The minimum wage in Denver stands at $19.29, and Seattle requires $21.30 an hour.
Hospitality workers in Los Angeles are scheduled to reach $30 an hour by 2028, while certain tourism workers in San Diego will receive $25 an hour by 2030, according to the National Employment Law Project.
The federal minimum wage remains $7.25 an hour, unchanged since 2009.
“We are so behind,” Nurse said. “And the cost of living in those cities is significantly lower than what New York City workers are facing.”
The proposal mirrors a key campaign pledge from Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who called for a $30 minimum wage during his run for office.
During the campaign, Mamdani said he aimed to ensure “New Yorkers have a high quality of life, top-tier public safety, the ability to pay rent and afford child care.”
The city last enacted a major minimum wage increase during the 2010s, when the rate rose to $15 an hour for businesses with at least 11 employees, according to the New York State Department of Labor. The minimum wage increased again to $17 at the start of the year.
Business leaders have raised concerns about the new proposal, warning that higher labor costs could strain small businesses.
The debate unfolds amid economic uncertainty tied to global conflicts, rising energy prices and trade disruptions linked to tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump.
Some research suggests higher minimum wages do not necessarily lead to job losses.
A 2019 study by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found the state’s earlier minimum wage increases “appears to have had a positive effect on average wages but no discernible effect on employment.”