As we first blogged on May 17, 2019, the Connecticut state hourly minimum wage will increase on August 1, 2021 from $12.00 to $13.00.  The change, made pursuant to Public Act 19-4, “An Act Increasing the Minimum Fair Wage,” will be the third of five scheduled annual increases to Connecticut’s hourly minimum wage since 2019.  A breakdown of the remaining increases under the Act is as follows:

  • $13.00 on August 1, 2021;
  • $14.00 on July 1, 2022; and
  • $15 on June 1, 2023.

Additional increases after 2023 will be tied to the federal Employment Cost Index calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Connecticut minimum wage paid to bartenders will remain at $8.23/hour, while all other tipped employees must receive at least $6.38/hour.

As a reminder, although the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts mandate that employers pay a higher minimum wage to employees working their respective states.

As always, Murtha lawyers are available to discuss the state’s wage and hour law and assist employers with compliance and related issues.

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Photo of Salvatore G. Gangemi Salvatore G. Gangemi

Salvatore G. Gangemi is a Partner in the Litigation Department of Murtha Cullina and a member of the Labor and Employment Practice Group. He advises clients with respect to state, federal and local employment laws. In addition, he litigates matters involving misappropriation of…

Salvatore G. Gangemi is a Partner in the Litigation Department of Murtha Cullina and a member of the Labor and Employment Practice Group. He advises clients with respect to state, federal and local employment laws. In addition, he litigates matters involving misappropriation of trade secrets, restrictive covenants, breach of employment contract, fiduciary duty, and other work-related common law claims. Sal also counsels clients on day-to-day issues involving workplace management and administration, including requests for reasonable accommodation for disabilities, for family and medical leave, and wage and hour issues.  He conducts employment law training on a variety of topics, including sexual harassment prevention and wage/ hour compliance.  He also drafts employment policies and agreements, and assists clients in auditing worker classification practices and policies both in the context of the Fair Labor Standards Act and state laws governing independent contractor determinations.

Photo of Emily McDonough Souza Emily McDonough Souza

Emily McDonough Souza is an Associate in the Litigation Department and the Labor and Employment Practice Group of Murtha Cullina LLP.  Her experience includes representing clients in a broad range of disputes involving insurance coverage, business torts, and contractual rights, as well as…

Emily McDonough Souza is an Associate in the Litigation Department and the Labor and Employment Practice Group of Murtha Cullina LLP.  Her experience includes representing clients in a broad range of disputes involving insurance coverage, business torts, and contractual rights, as well as representing employers in claims involving discrimination and retaliation, breach of non-compete and restrictive covenants, and wage and hour violations.  Emily has regularly appeared on behalf of clients in both state and federal court matters, including oral arguments, mediations, depositions, and pretrial conferences.

Prior to joining Murtha Cullina, Emily clerked for the Honorable Eliot D. Prescott of the Connecticut Appellate Court.  She received her J.D. magna cum laude from Quinnipiac University School of Law, where she served as the Executive Managing Editor of the Quinnipiac Law Review. Emily earned her B.S. magna cum laude from the University of Connecticut, where she was a member of the Honors Program.