Nebraska sets a uniform statewide minimum wage under §48-1203, currently $13.50 hourly and rising to $15 by 2026 via voter Initiative 433 (2022). Lincoln cannot adopt a higher local wage floor.
Initiative 433, approved by Nebraska voters in November 2022, amended §48-1203 to raise the state minimum wage from $9 to $10.50 in 2023, $12 in 2024, $13.50 in 2025, and $15 effective January 1, 2026, with annual CPI adjustments thereafter. Nebraska law preempts municipal wage ordinances, so Lincoln cannot enact a city-specific minimum like Lincoln Living Wage above state floor. Tipped employees remain at $2.13 with employer top-up obligations to reach state minimum.
Employers paying below state minimum face Nebraska Department of Labor wage claims, double damages, attorney fees under §48-1231, and potential criminal misdemeanor charges for willful violations.
See how Lincoln's minimum wage preemption rules stack up against other locations.
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