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Federal Hourly Minimum Wage Raised to $6.55
The second of three planned increases in the federal minimum wage for covered non-exempt employees went into effect on July 24, the U.S. Department of Labor has announced.
The three-phase increase in the minimum wage was established by the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007.
Under the new minimum wage provisions, the federal minimum was increased from $5.15 to $5.85 per hour for work performed from July 24, 2007 to July 23, 2008.
The latest wage hike, effective this year as of July 24, brings the hourly minimum wage to $6.55.
The final increase under last year’s law will take the minimum wage to $7.25 on July 24, 2009.
Many states have their own minimum wage laws, the Labor Department says. Where an employee is subject to both the state and federal minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher of the two.
Various minimum wage exceptions apply under specific circumstances to workers with disabilities, full-time students, youths under the age of 20 in their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment, tipped employees and student-learners.
For more information from NAHB on the minimum wage, e-mail David Crump, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8491.
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