Catherwood LibraryILR School

Workers in New York are enjoying a wage increase as Governor Cuomo’s 2016 $15 minimum wage and paid family leave law are gradually taking effect. Starting on New Year's Eve, the minimum wage for most New York City workers increased from $11 to $13 an hour. People working for businesses with fewer than 10 employees are enjoying a $1.50 increase in their wages, raising the bar to $12 an hour. Minimum wage workers in the suburbs and upstate also received a pay increase for the New Year. New York City will be the first district to see the full effect of the law, and on December 31st, 2018 the official minimum wage for all city workers will be $15. Long Island and Westchester will follow in 2021, and legislators are still determining a timeline for the rest of the state. The new paid family leave law also took effect on January 1st, which guarantees paid time off to workers after having a child or to take care of a relative with a health condition.