Substitute Senate Bill No. 311
          Substitute Senate Bill No. 311

               PUBLIC ACT NO. 98-44


AN ACT INCREASING THE STATE MINIMUM WAGE.


    Be it enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
    Subsection (j) of section 31-58 of the general
statutes  is  repealed   and   the   following  is
substituted in lieu thereof:
    (j) "Minimum fair  wage"  in  any  industry or
occupation in this  state means a wage of not less
than two dollars and sixty-six cents per hour, and
effective  January 1,  1979,  not  less  than  two
dollars  and  ninety-one   cents   per  hour,  and
effective January 1,  1980,  not  less  than three
dollars and twelve  cents  per hour, and effective
January 1, 1981,  not  less than three dollars and
thirty-seven cents per hour, and effective October
1,  1987,  not   less   than   three  dollars  and
seventy-five cents per hour, and effective October
1,  1988,  not   less   than   four   dollars  and
twenty-five cents per  hour, AND EFFECTIVE JANUARY
1, 1999, NOT LESS THAN FIVE DOLLARS AND SIXTY-FIVE
CENTS PER HOUR, AND EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2000, NOT
LESS THAN SIX  DOLLARS AND FIFTEEN CENTS PER HOUR,
or one-half of one per cent rounded to the nearest
whole cent more  than  the highest federal minimum
wage,  whichever  is   greater,   except   as  may
otherwise be established  in  accordance  with the
provisions of this part. All wage orders in effect
on October 1,  1971,  wherein a lower minimum fair
wage has been  established, are amended to provide
for the payment  of  the  minimum fair wage herein
established   except  as   hereinafter   provided.
Whenever  the  highest  federal  minimum  wage  is
increased, the minimum fair wage established under
this part shall be increased to the amount of said
federal minimum wage plus one-half of one per cent
more  than  said  federal  rate,  rounded  to  the
nearest whole cent,  effective on the same date as
the increase in  the highest federal minimum wage,
and  shall  apply   to   all   wage   orders   and
administrative  regulations  then  in  force.  The
rates for learners,  beginners,  and persons under
the age of  eighteen  years shall be not less than
eighty-five per cent  of the minimum fair wage for
the first two hundred hours of such employment and
equal to the  minimum fair wage thereafter, except
institutional   training   programs   specifically
exempted by the commissioner.

Approved May 19, 1998