Workers residing in the State of Maryland that receive the lowest pay that is legally allowed are expecting a hike in wages beginning the first week of the new year. This state represents one of just a handful to set new records in the increase of minimum wage for 2022.
On January 3, a Monday, Maryland’s minimum wage will see an increase of nearly an entire dollar, from $11.75 to $12.50 per hour for corporations with an employee count exceeding 15 persons. This is in fact part of an operation to continue increasing wages every year to up to $15 per hour by the year 2025. Lesser-sized employers of a figure less than or equal to 14 employees will be required to pay a smaller increase, from $11.60 per hour to $12.20.
However, tipped employees will not see an increase from their hourly rate of $3.63 per hour, as this amount when combined with gratuities must equate to the minimum wage of the state.
In accordance with a report issued by the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), the minimum wage will see a rise in over 20 states and 35 counties and cities beginning on Monday, with the floor either reaching or even surpassing the amount of $15 in more than 30 jurisdictions. This trend is based on an analysis presented by the National Employment Law Project (NELP), an organization that advocates for unemployed and low-wage workers.
Larry Hogan, Maryland’s current governor, attempted to veto the exact bill in 2019 that was designed to increase the minimum wage of the state to $15 by the year 2025.
According to Senator Cory McCray, a key sponsor of the bill entitled ‘Fight for 15’, it is impossible to live in the state receiving hourly pay under $13 and be able to survive on only basic necessities. At the time, the current minimum wage was just over $10.
However, Hogan viewed the bill as a futile endeavor to deliver positive change, as inflation of the state’s minimum wage to more than double a figure in Virginia would pose significant problems for the economy. Unfortunately, this bill was almost universally embraced by the Maryland General Assembly, so even if he did not sign it, enough votes would have mandated it become law.