In a widely expected move, the Maryland General Assembly has approved a significant increase in the state’s minimum wage by voting for legislation aimed at increasing the current rate of $10.10 per hour to $15 by 2025.
If the legislation is enacted, the rate will go to $11 per hour on January 20, 2020, and will be followed by a series of 75-cent-per-hour increases on each January 1 from 2021 through 2024. Then the rate will go to $15 per hour on January 1, 2025.
The legislation applies to all Maryland employers with 15 or more employees. Employers with fewer than 15 employees will have more time to reach the $15-per-hour level. For those smaller employers, the annual increases will be at 60 cents per hour, with the rate reaching $15 beginning in July 2026.