NY Wage Board Votes to raise Fast Food Minimum Wage

Written by LANNING TALIAFERRO (Patch Staff)

The New York State Fast Food Wage Board voted unanimously this afternoon to raise the wage to $15 for employees of fast food chains.

The wage hike would be phased in, to take effect in New York City by Dec. 31, 2018 and by July 1, 2021 for the rest of the state.

That means that in Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties, the minimum wage should be increased:

• $9.75 on Dec. 31, 2015,
• $10.75 on Dec. 31, 2016,
• $11.75 on Dec. 31, 2017,
• $12.75 on Dec.31, 2018,
• $13.75 on Dec. 31, 2019,
• $14.50 on Dec. 31, 2020,
• $15.00 on July 1, 2021.

The board defines the term ‘fast food chain’ to include fast food establishments that are part of chains that have 30 or more locations nationally.

In a statement, Westchester County Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins said it is high time the state raised the minimum wage.

“One of the many issues left unaccomplished from this past Legislative Session is the need to raise the state’s minimum wage. For too long, over 1.1 million New Yorkers have been unable to adequately provide for themselves and their families because they do not receive fair compensation for their hard work. Today’s recommendations from the Wage Board are a good first step, but we need to ensure the wages are increased for all New Yorkers. The time is past due for New York State to raise the minimum wage and my colleagues and I in the Senate Democratic Conference will keep up the fight to help lift all New Yorkers out of poverty,” she said.

The full text of the motions are available at: www.labor.ny.gov/fastfoodwageboard.

The state Labor Department explains the next steps:

According to statute, the Wage Board must now finalize and submit a report to Acting State Labor Commissioner Mario J. Musolino. The Board is scheduled to meet on Monday, July 27, to approve its report. The details of this meeting will be announced soon.

The Board’s Report and Recommendations will then be published and followed by a 15-day public comment period. Comments will be accepted online and by mail.

Based on those comments, the commissioner may accept, reject or modify the board’s recommendations and file a wage order. The wage order must be filed within 45 days once the report is filed. The order is then subject to an additional regulatory process.

Photo: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Twitter