Minimum Wage in Maryland

The Importance of the Minimum Wage in Maryland Every state has what’s called a ‘minimum wage.’ The minimum wage in Maryland is currently $7.25 per hour. Believe it or not, that’s currently the national minimum wage as well. There’s a Lot More You Need to Know About the Minimum Wage in Maryland, Though…. The minimum wage in MD can change from year to year. Every January 1st, in fact. As it stands, eight states have raised their minimum wage this past year, so it would be a good idea to check every year on the minimum wage in MD. In addition, there are some laws to know about when it comes to the minimum wage in Maryland. Understanding the Laws about Minimum Wage in MD Not that it matters, because the current minimum wage in Maryland is actually the same as the national, but by law if the national minimum wage is higher, that wage replaces the actual minimum wage in MD, whatever it may be. Moreover, it’s important to know that certain jobs are actually exempt from the law for minimum wage in MD, such as: 1. Waiters 2. Hairstylists 3. Students 4. Disabled Workers Other types of workers as well as waiters and barbers can be exempt from minimum wages in Maryland. Why? Because they receive tips. Any ‘tipped’ worker actually doesn’t have to abide by the law of minimum wages in Maryland. That simply means no employer has to cover the law of minimum wages in Maryland as part of the job requirement. An employer can pay an employee just about anything – so long as it’s established that the employee is allowed to take tips. Some Statistics on Minimum Wages in Maryland Just to give you an idea with numbers on how minimum wages in Maryland affects the economy, know this: 1. Full-Time Minimum Wage Workers Earn $290/Week 2. That’s Approximately $15,080/Year 3. The Federal Poverty Threshold for a Household of Two Is $14,570/Year Of course, the full-time minimum wage amount is based on an 8-hour day in a 260-day work year. This is why they call it a ‘minimum’ wage. It’s the smallest amount of money any worker would be allowed as part of wages or salary. If an employer actually tries to pay an employee less – given the employee isn’t a tipped worker, a student, or disabled – that employee can actually file a complaint either with a work union or even with a law office who will then file a petition in a court of law to obtain compensation for the worker over the violation of the law. Minimum Wage Is Important It keeps the workforce going when you think about it. In Maryland, actually, there’s news of the minimum wage going up even more than it already is. The higher the wage, the more workers make for the jobs they’re able to get. That fuels the economy. Of course, if the job market’s actually doing well, that could account for minimum wage going down. And that, in all honesty, isn’t always a bad thing. The important thing is to know exactly what your job entails. If you’re getting paid less than the minimum wage, take the appropriate steps to make it known, so you can get paid what you deserve.