Substitute House Bill No. 5160
An Act Increasing The Minimum Wage.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (j) of section 31-58 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof: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, and effective January 1, 2001, not less than six dollars and forty cents per hour, and effective January 1, 2002, six dollars and seventy 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.
Sec. 2. Subsection (b) of section 31-60 of the general statutes, as amended by public act 99-199, is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof:
(b) The Labor Commissioner shall adopt such regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, as may be appropriate to carry out the purposes of this part. Such regulations may include, but are not limited to, regulations defining and governing an executive, administrative or professional employee and outside salesperson; learners and apprentices, their number, proportion and length of service; piece rates in relation to time rates; and shall recognize, as part of the minimum fair wage, gratuities in an amount equal to twenty-three per cent of the minimum fair wage per hour for persons employed in the hotel and restaurant industry, [which term shall include] including a hotel restaurant, and not to exceed thirty-five cents per hour in any other industry, and shall also recognize deductions and allowances for the value of board, in the amount of eighty-five cents for a full meal and forty-five cents for a light meal, lodging, apparel or other items or services supplied by the employer; and other special conditions or circumstances which may be usual in a particular employer-employee relationship. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, such regulations shall provide that during the period commencing January 1, 2001, and ending December 31, 2002, the minimum wage for persons employed in the hotel and restaurant industry, including a hotel restaurant, who customarily and regularly receive gratuities shall be four dollars and seventy-four cents per hour, except during said period the minimum wage for bartenders who customarily and regularly receive gratuities shall be six dollars and fifteen cents per hour. The commissioner may provide, in such regulations, modifications of the minimum fair wage herein established for learners and apprentices; persons under the age of eighteen years; and for such special cases or classes of cases as the commissioner finds appropriate to prevent curtailment of employment opportunities, avoid undue hardship and safeguard the minimum fair wage herein established. Regulations in effect on July 1, 1973, providing for a board deduction and allowance in an amount differing from that provided in this section shall be construed to be amended consistent herewith without the necessity of convening a wage board or amending said regulations.
Sec. 3. Subsection (b) of section 31-23 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof:
(b) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, a minor who has reached the age of fifteen may be employed or permitted to work in any mercantile establishment, from June 19, 1992, to September 30, 2002, inclusive, as a bagger, cashier or stock clerk, provided such employment shall be (A) limited to periods of school vacation during which school is not in session for five consecutive days or more except that such minor employed in a retail food store who may work on any Saturday during the year; (B) for not more than forty hours in any week; (C) for not more than eight hours in any day; and (D) between the hours of seven o'clock in the morning and seven o'clock in the evening, except that from July first to the first Monday in September in any year, any such minor may be employed until nine o'clock in the evening. (2) Each person who employs a fifteen-year-old minor in any mercantile establishment pursuant to this subsection shall obtain a certificate stating that such minor is fifteen years of age or older, as provided in section 10-193. Such certificate shall be kept on file at the place of employment and shall be available at all times during business hours to the inspectors of the Labor Department. (3) The Labor Commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, as he deems necessary to implement the provisions of this subsection.
Approved May 26, 2000