Buffalo's minimum wage is set entirely by New York State under Labor Law Section 651, currently $15 per hour for upstate (including Buffalo and Erie County) as of 2024, with annual indexed increases tied to inflation thereafter.
New York preempts local minimum-wage setting. Labor Law §651 establishes statewide minimums with regional tiers: New York City, Long Island/Westchester, and the rest of the state (which covers Buffalo and Erie County). The 2023 budget legislation set upstate's wage at $15.00 effective January 1, 2024, with annual indexing to CPI starting 2027. Tipped food-service workers have a separate cash-wage and tip-credit structure. NY also enforces overtime, wage-payment frequency, and final-paycheck rules through the Department of Labor. Buffalo cannot enact a higher local minimum wage, but can require living wages for city contractors.
Paying below $15 per hour to non-tipped Buffalo employees, misclassifying workers as exempt, or failing to follow tip-credit notice rules triggers NY Department of Labor wage claims and double-damages liability.
See how Buffalo's minimum wage preemption rules stack up against other locations.
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