2019 New Jersey Minimum Wage
The 2019 New Jersey Minimum Wage is $10.
Effective 2019-07-01Source: NJDOL and Attorney General Send Letter to NJ Employers as Minimum Wage Increase Takes Effect (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development)Verified 2026-08-30
Compared with 2018
| Item | 2018 | 2019 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $8.60 | $10 | +$1.40 (+16.3%) |
Who it applies to
Most workers in New Jersey; separate schedules apply to seasonal and small business employees, agricultural workers, and tipped workers.
What changed this year, and why
New Jersey's minimum wage increased to $10 per hour for most workers, effective July 1, 2019.
Common questions
- When did the $10 hourly minimum wage take effect?
- The $10 per hour minimum wage took effect on July 1, 2019.
- Does this rate apply to all workers?
- No. Seasonal and small business employees, agricultural workers, and tipped workers have separate minimum wage schedules with different rates and effective dates.
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
If you have questions about New Jersey's minimum wage or need to file a wage complaint, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is the agency to contact. NJDOL makes available on its website at nj.gov/labor a summary chart of current wage rates and answers to frequently asked questions. Workers can file a wage complaint through the department. New Jersey has broad authority to investigate potential violations of the minimum wage law, impose criminal and administrative sanctions for non-compliance, and bring civil lawsuits to recover unpaid wages. If you believe your New Jersey employer is paying you less than what the law requires, contact NJDOL for assistance.
For more information, NJDOL makes available on its website (nj.gov/labor) a summary chart, as well as the answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
NJDOL and Attorney General Send Letter to NJ Employers as Minimum Wage Increase Takes Effect (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
New Jersey law requires that tipped employees receive a cash wage from their employer, but that combined amount—tips plus the cash wage—must equal at least the full minimum wage. The tipped wage in New Jersey begins at $2.63 per hour as of July 1, 2019, and is scheduled to rise gradually to $5.13 per hour by 2024. If your tips in a given pay period do not bring your total compensation up to the minimum wage, your employer is required to make up the difference. This rule ensures that workers who rely on tips still receive at least the standard hourly rate. Employers in New Jersey must track tip income carefully and ensure compliance with both state minimum wage requirements and tip credit provisions.
The tipped wage will also rise, beginning with an increase to $2.63 effective July 1, 2019, and gradually rising to $5.13 per hour by 2024.
NJDOL and Attorney General Send Letter to NJ Employers as Minimum Wage Increase Takes Effect (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
New Jersey sets its minimum wage on a scheduled path through legislation rather than an annual inflation adjustment. For most workers, the rate begins at $10 per hour effective July 1, 2019, and continues with an increase of $1 on January 1 of each year through 2024, when it reaches $15 per hour. These increases are written into the statute itself. NJDOL publishes the schedule and makes it available on its website. Workers in New Jersey can expect the rate to rise automatically each January 1 according to this legislated timeline, rather than being tied to a consumer price index or announced through a separate regulatory process each year.
For most workers, the new law will raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour, beginning with an increase to $10 per hour effective July 1, 2019, and continuing with an increase of $1 on January 1 of each year through 2024.
NJDOL and Attorney General Send Letter to NJ Employers as Minimum Wage Increase Takes Effect (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
NJDOL and Attorney General Send Letter to NJ Employers as Minimum Wage Increase Takes Effect (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
- Hourly
For most workers, the new law will raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour, beginning with an increase to $10 per hour effective July 1, 2019, and continuing with an increase of $1 on January 1 of each year through 2024.
Other years
Every New Jersey Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state