Minimum Wage Increase/ Retail Sunday Pay

Massachusetts Minimum Wage Increase

In addition to Paid Family and Medical Leave, the act signed by Governor Baker on June 28, 2018, the act also increases the minimum wage in Massachusetts and eliminates the Premium Pay for retail establishments on Sundays.

By the year 2023 the basic Massachusetts minimum wage will be $15.00 an hour and the tipped minimum wage will be $6.75 per hour, a dramatic increase from the current amounts of $11.00 an hour and $4.35 per hours. These amounts will not increase over night but will rather gradually increase beginning in January 2020.

  • January 1, 2020 = $12.75 per hour; $4.95 per hour (tipped);
  • January 1, 2021 = $13.50 per hour; $5.55 per hour (tipped);
  • January 1, 2022 = $14.25 per hour; $6.15 per hour (tipped); and
  • January 1, 2023 = $15.00 per hours; $6.75 per hour (tipped)

As a form of compromise for the increase in minimum wage and paid family medical leave, the act also will affect employees of retail establishments by gradually eliminating the “time and half” payment of wages on Sundays.

  • January 1, 2019 = 1.4 x the employee’s regular rate of pay;
  • January 1, 2020 = 1.3 times the employee’s regular rate of pay;
  • January 1, 2021 = 1.2 times the employee’s regular rate of pay;
  • January 1, 2022 = 1.1 times the employee’s regular rate of pay; and
  • January 1, 2023 = Employees regular rate of pay

The new changes to law will not affect an employee’s ability to refuse to work on Sundays as previously allowed. The prohibitions against discrimination and retaliation regarding an employee’s right to refuse to work on Sundays will remain in full force and effect.

Cohen Cleary, P.C.

Cohen Cleary, P.C.