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For Immediate Release: Friday, March 1, 2024
The Montgomery County minimum wage rate will be adjusted upward on July 1 to keep pace with local inflation as required by County law. Starting July 1, the minimum wage rate for large employers (with 51 or more employees) will increase by 45 cents to $17.15 per hour, while the minimum wage rate for mid-sized employers (with 11-50 employees) will increase by 50 cents to a rate of $15.50 per hour. The rate for small employers (10 or fewer employees) will remain at the $15 per hour rate that became effective Jan. 1, 2024, pursuant to State law. The new rates are based on the change in the consumer price index for all urban wage earners and clerical workers in the Washington, D.C.-Arlington-Alexandria area for the previous year, which was 2.8 percent.
Sponsored by then-County Council member and current County Executive Marc Elrich and enacted in 2017, Section 27-68 of the County Code requires the new minimum wage rate to be determined each March 1. The change is based on the change in the regional consumer price index over the preceding calendar year.
“Increasing the minimum wage is crucial for addressing income inequality and ensuring that all workers can earn a sustaining wage,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “A higher minimum wage not only provides immediate relief to low-wage workers struggling to make ends meet but also stimulates economic growth by putting more money into the hands of those who are most likely to spend it locally. A minimum wage law indexed to inflation fosters a more equitable society where hard work is properly rewarded and reduces the need for government assistance programs. By raising the minimum wage, we can create a fairer system where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
