New Jersey sets the statewide minimum wage under N.J.S.A. 34:11-56a4 at 15.49 dollars an hour for most workers in 2026, indexed annually to inflation, and preempts Jersey City from adopting any higher local minimum wage.
New Jersey raised its minimum wage on a glide path under P.L. 2019 c. 32 amending N.J.S.A. 34:11-56a4. The 2026 base rate sits at 15.49 dollars per hour with smaller-employer, seasonal, and agricultural carve-outs. The statute expressly preempts municipalities from setting a different wage. Jersey City therefore cannot enact its own local floor as Newark and other cities have explored. Tip-credit rules let employers pay a lower cash wage of 5.62 dollars provided tips bring total compensation to the full state minimum. Annual indexing tracks the Consumer Price Index every September.
Paying below the statewide minimum, mishandling the tip credit, misclassifying employees as independent contractors, or attempting to enforce a sub-state local rate can trigger NJ Department of Labor wage claims, treble damages, and stop-work orders.
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