Minimum wage workers in New Jersey will see a slight bump in their paychecks in the new year.<\/p>\n
The state is set to increase the minimum wage<\/a> for most qualifying employees to $15.92 on Jan. 1. It’s the latest in a series of gradual raises implemented since 2018, when New Jersey’s minimum wage was $8.60 per hour. The rate has increased every year since.<\/p>\n MORE:\u00a0Six illegal ketamine shipments seized in Philadelphia by U.S. Customs and Border Protection<\/a><\/p>\n There will be some exceptions to the new standard. The minimum wage will increase more modestly for seasonal workers and employees of small businesses. Their pay will rise from $14.53 to $15.23 in 2026 and continue to increase gradually until 2028.<\/p>\n Agricultural workers are also subject to a different timetable. Their hourly rate will rise from $13.40 to $14.20. It will continue to climb incrementally until 2030.<\/p>\n The state constitution stipulates additional annual increases to the minimum wage after the 2028 and 2030 timetables, based on any bump in the Consumer Price Index.<\/p>\n Pennsylvania, by contrast, has not changed its minimum wage since 2009. It is $7.25, the same as the federal rate. While most U.S. states<\/a> now exceed this base pay, Pennsylvania is one of 20 at or below the federal minimum. It is the only state in the Mid-Atlantic region to offer wages this low.<\/p>\n The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has attempted to raise the standard multiple times. State legislators passed a bill in 2023<\/a> that would have increased the minimum wage to $15 by 2026. More recently, the House\u00a0passed a bill<\/a> in June that would have raised the minimum wage according to county size. Philadelphia would have reached $15 per hour in 2026 under this legislation, while smaller, rural counties would have seen a $12 hourly rate by 2028. Both efforts stalled in the Republican-controlled state Senate.<\/p>\n Follow Kristin & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @kristin_hunt
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