What is the minimum wage?
The current federal minimum wage is $6.55 per hour, effective July 24, 2008. This will increase to $7.25 per hour on July 24, 2009. Note that many states, and even some local governments, have established their own minimum wage. Covered employees would be entitled to whichever wage is higher. J. J. Keller’s Human Resources Management Guide: An Essential Tool for Managing Day-to-Day HR Responsibilities addresses FLSA requirements.
The minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is $5.15 an hour. The majority of states that have minimum wage laws peg their minimum wage to the federal minimum. A few states, such as New Mexico and Kansas, have set their state minimum wage below the federal limit. About ten states have set minimum wage rates that are higher than the federal rate. For example, Oregon’s minimum wage is $6.50, and Hawaii’s is $5.75. A few states have no minimum wage laws. In states having a minimum wage above the federal rate, all employers, even those covered by the FLSA, must pay the higher state rate. In states where the state minimum rate is below the federal level, those employers covered by the FLSA must pay the higher federal rate.
Effective January 1, 2009, the minimum wage increased to $8.00 per hour. For minors working in agriculture or government, it is 85% of minimum wage, and for minors working in other industries, it is 85% for the first 200 hours. This is covered in Section 31-58 and Section 31-58a of the CT State Statutes.
