2020 New Jersey Minimum Wage
The 2020 New Jersey Minimum Wage is $11.
Effective 2020-01-01Source: NJ Department of Labor Announces Minimum Wage Increase (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development)Verified 2026-08-31
Compared with 2019
| Item | 2019 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $10 | $11 | +$1 (+10.0%) |
Who it applies to
Most employees in New Jersey; seasonal, agricultural, and small employers (fewer than six employees) follow a different timetable.
What changed this year, and why
New Jersey's minimum wage increased to $11 per hour for most employees, up from $10 per hour in 2019.
Common questions
- When did the $11 per hour minimum wage take effect?
- January 1, 2020.
- Is the minimum wage the same for all workers?
- No. Seasonal workers, farm workers paid on an hourly or piece-rate basis, and employees of employers with fewer than six employees follow a different timetable and were subject to a lower rate.
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
If you have questions about the minimum wage in New Jersey or believe your employer is not paying you correctly, the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development is the agency responsible for enforcement. The department's Wage and Hour Compliance division handles complaints and investigates violations of state wage law. Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo has stated the department will continue as a department to vigorously investigate wage and hour complaints. Workers in New Jersey who believe they are owed wages below the $11 hourly minimum should contact the department to file a complaint and seek enforcement of their rights under state law. The department provides resources and information about wage and hour compliance on its website.
will continue as a department to vigorously investigate wage and hour complaints.
NJ Department of Labor Announces Minimum Wage Increase (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
New Jersey law allows employers of tipped employees to take a credit against the $11 minimum wage. Employers who elect to take the tip credit will be required to pay their tipped employees a cash wage of at least $3.13 per hour, with the expectation that tips will bring the worker's total compensation up to the full minimum wage. The tip credit is not automatic; the employer must choose to use it and must ensure that the combination of the cash wage and tips received meets or exceeds the state minimum. Workers in New Jersey who receive tips should understand that their employer may be paying them a lower base wage because of this credit, but their total earnings must still reach at least $11 per hour when tips are included.
The law also establishes a credit that employers of tipped employees may take against the $11 minimum wage next year. Employers who elect to take the tip credit will be required to pay their tipped employees a cash wage of at least $3.13 per hour.
NJ Department of Labor Announces Minimum Wage Increase (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
In New Jersey, the Labor Department sets the minimum wage for the coming year using either the rate specified in the law or a calculation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is higher. This means the floor for workers in the state is adjusted each year to reflect changes in the cost of living, and the department announces the new rate after completing its annual calculation. For 2020, the CPI-based calculation would have resulted in a lower wage, but the statutory rate of $11 per hour controls because it is the higher figure. Workers in New Jersey can expect the minimum wage to continue rising annually once the scheduled increases under current law reach their target.
The Labor Department sets the minimum wage for the coming year using either the rate specified in the law or a calculation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is higher.
NJ Department of Labor Announces Minimum Wage Increase (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.
NJ Department of Labor Announces Minimum Wage Increase (New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
- Hourly
TRENTON - New Jersey’s minimum wage will go up by $1, to $11 per hour for most employees, on January 1, 2020.
Other years
Every New Jersey Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state