On February 24, 2015, New York’s acting Commissioner of Labor signed an Order that combined all tipped workers in the hospitality industry into one class and increased their minimum wage to $7.50 per hour. The increase goes into effect on December 31, 2015. New York state’s minimum wage for all other employees is currently $8.75, and is scheduled to increase to $9.00 on December 31, 2015.

Employers should review their compensation policies in light of this Order. If you have any questions about the issues discussed in this alert, please contact your labor and employment counsel at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP.

This client alert is intended to inform clients and other interested parties about legal matters of current interest and is not intended as legal advice.