The minimum wage for regular employees will increase to $8.15 this year, $8.50 in 2016, $8.90 in 2017 and $9.25 in 2018. Tipped workers will receive 38 percent of the minimum wage.
The legislation was signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday, potentially circumventing a ballot initiative that would allow voters to raise Michigan’s minimum wage to $10.10 for tipped and non-tipped workers.
“I commend my partners in the Legislature for finding common ground on a bill that will help Michigan workers and protect our state’s growing economy,” Snyder said at the bill’s signing. “Michigan is the comeback state, and our goal always should be long-term success for our residents and our state as a whole.”
But Gilda Jacobs, president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy, said the enacted legislation stifles voter choice and falls short of furnishing struggling workers with adequate wages.
“With enough signatures collected to put this on the fall ballot, voters deserve a chance to have their say on an increase to $10.10 an hour, with a very gradual increase in the tipped wage,” Jacobs said in a statement. “The tipped wage increase is critical to working moms in the food industry. Employees who work hard in tough jobs should be able to meet their basic needs, and a raise to $10.10 an hour will go a long way to accomplish that.”
