Important Notice! As of today, December 31, 2014, the New York State minimum wage will increase to $8.75 per hour from the previous $8.00 per hour. Also effective as of today, the minimum salary that must be paid to qualify an employee for the executive or administrative exemption to overtime pay is increasing from $600.00 per week to $656.25 per week. Please note that all New York State employers must comply with this change. The tip credit for food service workers will also be changing from $3.00 per hour to $3.75, while the meal credit for food service workers will remain the same at $2.50 per meal.

The rate of spread-of-hours will also increase to $8.75, which must be paid to all overtime-eligible employees with an additional $8.75 for working over ten hours. In order to calculate the dollar amount for the new overtime rate (increased to $9.38 per hour from the former $9.00), you would multiply $8.75 by 1.5 and subtract the new tip credit of $3.75. The cash minimum wage that can be paid to tipped employees for non-overtime hours will remain the same. For more information on the new minimum wage laws and updated summary rate sheets, visit the New York State Department of Labor website by clicking here.