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1. Increases to NYS Minimum Wage and Exempt Salary Requirements. On January 1, 2025, the minimum hourly wage increased from $15.00 to $15.50 for most New York counties, including Monroe County, and from $16.00 to $16.50 in New York City, Westchester, and Long Island. Remember that for most non-exempt employees (even those paid on a non-hourly basis), you need to record their hours and ensure that they receive at least the minimum wage.
For exempt Administrative and Executive employees, the minimum salary threshold also increased across New York State on January 1, 2025. In most counties, including Monroe County, the minimum wage increased from $1,124.20/week ($58,458.40/year) to $1,161.65 ($60,405.80/year). In New York City, Westchester and Long Island, the minimum salary threshold increased from $1,200/week ($62,400/year) to $1,237.50 ($64,350/year). After some court battles, the federal minimum salary for most exempt white collar employees reverted back to $684 per week, but remember that employers must pay the higher salary when federal and state law conflict.
What to do: Review your pay rate and make adjustments as necessary. Remember to also update your job postings with any updated pay information.
2. New York State Paid Parental Leave Takes Effect. I wrote about this in a previous column, but on January 1, 2025, New York’s paid prenatal leave law actually took effect. Under the law, all private-sector employers must provide 20 hours of paid...
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