Raise in minimum wage in the USA! Hourly wage is increasing

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced the minimum wage rates that will be effective in 2027.

According to that, the hourly minimum wage for most workers in the state will rise from the current $15.92 to $16.48.

The increase was determined based on the Consumer Price Index data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The hourly wage for farm workers is set at $15.

Under the new regulation, the hourly minimum wage for farm workers will rise from $14.20 to $15.

Thus, farm workers paid by the hour or per piece will, for the first time, reach the state’s $15 minimum wage threshold.

The hourly minimum wage for workers in seasonal jobs and in small businesses with fewer than six employees will rise from $15.23 to $16.25. The minimum hourly wage for staff who provide direct maintenance services at long‑term care facilities will be $19.48.

Kevin D. Jarvis, Deputy Director of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, said that bringing agricultural workers up to the $15 level is an important step toward wage parity across sectors.

Wages for tipped workers will also rise.

For tipped employees, the minimum cash wage that employers must pay will increase from $6.05 to $6.61 per hour. The maximum amount that employers may credit tips against wages will remain at $9.87.

If the sum of the cash wage and tips received by an employee falls short of the state’s overall minimum wage, the employer will be required to make up the difference.

After the phased increases for small businesses and seasonal workers are completed in 2028, and for agricultural workers in 2030, the minimum wages for these groups will be updated annually in line with consumer‑price inflation, just as they are for other employees.