Bill Text - HB186 (2020)

Establishing a state minimum wage and providing for adjustments to the minimum wage.


Revision: Dec. 26, 2018, 12:26 p.m.

HB 186 - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2019 SESSION

19-0151

04/01

 

HOUSE BILL 186

 

AN ACT establishing a state minimum wage and providing for adjustments to the minimum wage.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Moffett, Merr. 9; Rep. M. Smith, Straf. 6; Rep. Tanner, Sull. 9; Rep. D. Ley, Ches. 9; Rep. Wazir, Merr. 17; Rep. Spang, Straf. 6; Sen. Feltes, Dist 15; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21

 

COMMITTEE: Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a state minimum hourly wage and provides for annual readjustment of the minimum wage.

 

This bill also establishes a training wage for employees under the age of 18 years.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0151

04/01

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT establishing a state minimum wage and providing for adjustments to the minimum wage.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Minimum Hourly Rate.  Amend the introductory paragraph of RSA 279:21 to read as follows:

279:21  Minimum Hourly Rate.  Unless otherwise provided by statute, no person[, firm, or corporation] shall employ any employee at an hourly rate lower than $9.50 or that set forth in the federal minimum wage law, as amended, whichever is higher.

Tipped employees of a restaurant, hotel, motel, inn or cabin, or ballroom who customarily and regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips directly from the customers will receive a base rate from the employer of not less than [45] 60 percent of the applicable minimum wage.  If an employee shows to the satisfaction of the commissioner that the actual amount of wages received at the end of each pay period did not equal the minimum wage for all hours worked, the employer shall pay the employee the difference to guarantee the applicable minimum wage.  The limitations imposed hereby shall be subject to the following exceptions:

2  New Paragraph; Minimum Hourly Rate; Training Wage.  Amend RSA 279:21 by inserting after paragraph VIII the following new paragraph:

IX.  A training hourly rate which shall be one dollar per hour less than the full minimum wage but no lower than $8.50 may be paid to those newly-hired employees who are 16 or 17 years old for the first 3 months of employment by a specific employer.  After 3 calendar months of employment with such employer, or upon reaching the age of 18, such employee shall receive the full minimum wage.

3  Minimum Hourly Rate.  The introductory paragraph of RSA 279:21 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

279:21  Minimum Hourly Rate.  Unless otherwise provided by statute, no person shall employ any employee at an hourly rate lower than $12 or that set forth in the federal minimum wage law, as amended, whichever is higher.

Tipped employees of a restaurant, hotel, motel, inn or cabin, or ballroom who customarily and regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips directly from the customers will receive a base rate from the employer of not less than 60 percent of the applicable minimum wage.  If an employee shows to the satisfaction of the commissioner that the actual amount of wages received at the end of each pay period did not equal the minimum wage for all hours worked, the employer shall pay the employee the difference to guarantee the applicable minimum wage.  The limitations imposed hereby shall be subject to the following exceptions:

4  Minimum Hourly Rate; Annual Adjustment.  The introductory paragraph of RSA 279:21 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

279:21  Minimum Hourly Rate.  Unless otherwise provided by statute, no person shall employ any employee at an hourly rate lower than $12 or that set forth in the federal minimum wage law, as amended, whichever is higher.  The minimum hourly rate shall be adjusted on January 1, 2022 and on January 1 of successive years by the increase in the cost of living according to the Northeast Consumer Price Index as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  No decrease in the minimum hourly rate shall  be permitted.

Tipped employees of a restaurant, hotel, motel, inn or cabin, or ballroom who customarily and regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips directly from the customers will receive a base rate from the employer of not less than 60 percent of the applicable minimum wage.  If an employee shows to the satisfaction of the commissioner that the actual amount of wages received at the end of each pay period did not equal the minimum wage for all hours worked, the employer shall pay the employee the difference to guarantee the applicable minimum wage.  The limitations imposed hereby shall be subject to the following exceptions:

5  Effective Date.  

I.  Section 3 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2021.

II.  Section 4 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2022.

III.  The remainder of this act shall take effect January 1, 2020.