Minimum Wage Rising in Montgomery County On July 1

Gaithersburg MD

28 June, 2021

1:55 PM

Description

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Minimum wage will rise again in Montgomery County on July 1 as part of a multi-year plan to get the minimum to $15 per hour countywide, a goal that the county is expected to reach next year. Starting July 1, large employers will be required to pay all employees at least $15 per hour, medium employers will pay $14, and small employers will pay $13.50. "Large" employers have 51 or more employees, medium have between 11 and 5o employees generally, and small employers have under 1o or fewer employees. "People who work deserve to earn a decent wage," said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich in a news release. "This will help them earn enough to put a roof over their heads, feed their families and not have to choose between putting food on the table and medical visits. A decent wage is the path to more opportunity and improved equity." The wage plan was signed into law in 2017, when Elrich was a county councilor. Employees age 18 and under who work under 20 hours per week are exempt from the county's minimum wage rate, according to a county news release. Businesses are required to pay them at least 85 percent of the State minimum wage rate. "I was proud to champion the increase in minimum wage when I was a County council member and pleased to see that it is finally reached $15 per hour for large employers," said Elrich in the release. "Montgomery County has been at the forefront of minimum wage policies and this increase will not just help those earning minimum wages but will also increase wages for all hourly workers throughout the County." Read the full minimum wage plan here. Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. Download our mobile application from the App Store or Google Play. Have a story idea? Reach me at [email protected] with