New Jersey to raise minimum wage to $11 an hour in 2020

The minimum wage in New Jersey will increase by $1 to $11 for most employees starting Jan. 1, 2020, the state’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced after its annual meeting this week. 

It’s part of the state’s plan led by Democrats to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024. 

Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and lawmakers reached a deal for the wage increase in January. 

The minimum wage is $10 as of July 2019. It had been $8.85 last January when the deal was reached. {mosads}

The minimum wage will increase for most employees by $1 a year until it reaches $15 an hour in January 2024, according to the labor department. Minimum wage for the following years has yet to be determined. 

The move will impact most industries, including retail, food service, hotels, beauty, laundry, light manufacturing apparel and first processing of farm products. 

Workers in other areas will have wage increases on a different time table. 

Seasonal and small employers will have a minimum wage increase to $10.30, from the current $8.85, by January 2020. Minimum wage for seasonal and small employers will hit $15 an hour by January 2026 under the plan. 

Agricultural employers will also see a minimum wage increase to $10.30 by January 2020, and will hit a $15 an hour minimum wage by January 2027.