Howard County Council Passes Bill To Boost Minimum Wage To $16 By 2026

2 years ago 390

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (WJZ) — The Howard County Council has passed a measure that would boost the county’s minimum wage to $16 an hr implicit the adjacent fewer years.

During their gathering Monday, assembly members voted 4-1 successful favour of the measurement to surpass the statewide minimum wage rate, which is scheduled to summation to $14 by 2024 and somewhat little for smaller employers.

County Executive Calvin Ball has 10 days to motion the legislation, which would go instrumentality astir 2 months aft it receives his signature.

The existent minimum wage successful Howard County is $11.75 an hour, the aforesaid arsenic Maryland’s.

One of the bill’s sponsors, Councilwoman Christiana Rigby, said the legislation’s transition means that much families volition nary longer person to take betwixt buying groceries and paying rent.

“This authorities is simply a beardown measurement toward a much equitable and livable wage for moving families successful Howard County,” Councilwoman Rigby said.

The Maryland Center for Economic Policy estimates the measure volition payment 1 successful 4 workers successful Howard County, oregon astir 40,000 employees.

Under the legislation, minimum wage would summation incrementally implicit the adjacent 4 years based connected the size of their leader and whether they enactment for Howard County’s government.

Below is the docket for the wage increases outlined successful the legislation:

Employers

$14 an hr effectual April 1, 2022
$15 an hr effectual Jan. 1, 2023
$16 an hr effectual Jan. 1, 2025

Small Employers

$13 an hr effectual April 1, 2022
$14 an hr effectual Jan. 1, 2023
$15 an hr effectual Jan. 1, 2024
$16 an hr effectual Jan. 1, 2026

Howard County

$15 an hr effectual July 1, 2022
$16 an hr effectual July 1, 2024

To enactment those numbers successful perspective, Maryland’s minimum wage volition summation to $12.50 successful 2022 and $12.20 for smaller employers. Those figures volition spell up to $13.25 and $12,80 successful 2023, and $14 and $13.40 successful 2024.

Councilmember Opel Jones, the bill’s co-sponsor, said the authorities volition supply much-needed alleviation to thousands of low-wage workers, galore of them minorities.

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“Leading and legislating done an equitable lens by not delaying economical justness and prosperity for 1 retired of 4 families who whitethorn conflict to supply capable housing, due clothing, and nutrient for their families is paramount,” Jones said.