Governor Dannel P. Malloy today is reminding Connecticut residents that the minimum wage in the state will be increasing from the current rate of $9.60 per hour to $10.10 on January 1, 2017 as the result of a law he signed in 2014 that scheduled increases for workers in three stages.
The coming change is the final step in a series of three scheduled increases under the law that first increased the minimum wage from $8.70 to $9.15 on January 1, 2015; from $9.15 to $9.60 on January 1, 2016; and finally to $10.10 effective January 1, 2017.
Connecticut was the first state in the country to adopt legislation establishing a $10.10 minimum wage.
“No one who works full-time should live in poverty. We believe hardworking men and women, many of whom are supporting families, deserve fair wages,” Governor Malloy said. “I am proud that Connecticut has been a leader in promoting a higher hourly wage. This is money that goes right back into the economy. When workers earn more money, businesses will have more customers. This is a modest increase that will give working families a boost while also having stimulative economic effects.”
“More than 60 percent of Connecticut minimum wage earners are women – this increase will improve women’s economic security and the stability of working families throughout Connecticut,” Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said. “It’s good for the economy and will have an immediate benefit for working men and women.”
According to a July 2015 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor, three out of five small business owners with employees support a gradual increase in the minimum wage. The survey found that small business owners believe an increase “would immediately put more money in the pocket of low-wage workers who will then spend the money on such items as housing, food, and gas.” This boost in demand, the survey found, “will help stimulate the economy and help create opportunities.”
“The increase of Connecticut’s minimum wage to $10.10 works to everyone’s advantage because the end result is additional money in the hands of consumers who will spend it,” Connecticut Department of Labor Commissioner Scott D. Jackson said. “The money will then be invested in our businesses and bolster our local communities and economies. Additionally, by paying higher wages, employers will be better able to retain skilled and experienced workers, resulting in a more productive and efficient workforce.”
Under Section 31-60 of the Connecticut General Statutes, the Connecticut minimum wage rates for service employees, specifically restaurant and hotel staff, are determined by using a formula that takes tip deductions into account. The rates can be found on the Connecticut Department Labor’s Web site at www.ct.gov/dol or by contacting the Labor Department’s Division of Wage and Workplace Standards at 860-263-6790.
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