Wage and Hour Defense Blog

On July 1, 2026, new minimum wage rates will take effect in numerous localities nationwide. Many California employers—especially those in the health care sector—may need to adjust payroll settings, as statutory health care worker wage rates (explained in detail here and here) and many local rates will change at the year’s half-way mark.  Plus, one state and several cities and counties beyond the Golden State will likewise raise their minimum wage. Note that some locations mandate more than one rate, basing wage requirements on employer size, industry, or region. Employers should review these changes, set forth in the chart below, and ensure ongoing compliance.

Alaska employers should be aware that the state adjusts its minimum salary threshold for overtime exemption based on the minimum wage. Accordingly, the salary threshold will increase from $1,040 to $1,120 per week on July 1, 2026.

One more change comes later in the year: Florida’s minimum wage will increase from $14.00 to $15.00 on September 30, 2026.

As the New Year began, new minimum wage rates took effect in numerous states and localities nationwide.

Effective January 1, 2026, 18 states, along with many local jurisdictions, raised their minimum wage requirements, and six states adjusted salary thresholds for exempt executive, administrative, and professional employees. Employers should review these changes and ensure ongoing compliance.

Once again, we rang in the new year with a great many state and local minimum wage increases.

This year, 23 states—and several counties and cities—will increase their minimum wages and, where applicable, tipped minimum wage. Most of these increases went into effect on January 1, 2025.

Employers with minimum wage (and tipped minimum wage) workers should discuss newly implemented increases with counsel to ensure their compensation practices comply across all relevant jurisdictions.

We seem to say this every year -- December always seems to go by far too fast.  And with holidays and vacations, not to mention many employees still working remotely, it’s not unusual for matters to be put off until the new year — or for a project or two to fall through the cracks.

December is not the shortest month of the year, but it always seems to go by the fastest.

And with holidays and vacations, not to mention employees working remotely, it’s not unusual for matters to be put off until the new year -- or for a project or two to fall through the cracks.

Often times, there are no real consequences if a project gets pushed off into the new year.

But that’s not the case with new state or local wage-hour laws.

As reflected in the charts below, minimum wages increased in dozens of states and localities when the new year rang in on January 1, 2022 – and exempt salary thresholds also increased in some states effective January 1, 2022.