Montgomery County Minimum Wage Increases on July 1

For Immediate Release: Monday, June 28, 2021

The minimum wage will increase in Montgomery County on Thursday, July 1. Sponsored by then-County Council member Marc Elrich and signed into legislation on Nov. 17, 2017, Bill 28-17 raises the minimum wage incrementally, each July 1, until it reaches $15 per hour in 2022. 

The number of workers employed by the business will determine the amount of the increase. The County’s minimum wage will rise to $15 for employers with 51 or more employees and $14 for employers with 50 or fewer employees; a small employer, with 10 or fewer employees, is required to pay $13.50 hourly.   

“I was proud to champion the increase in minimum wage when I was a County council member and pleased to see that it is finally reached $15 per hour for large employers,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “Montgomery County has been at the forefront of minimum wage policies and this increase will not just help those earning minimum wages but will also increase wages for all hourly workers throughout the County. People who work deserve to earn a decent wage. This will help them earn enough to put a roof over their heads, feed their families and not have to choose between putting food on the table and medical visits. A decent wage is the path to more opportunity and improved equity.”

Effective date	Large employer	Mid-sized employer	Small Employer
July 1, 2021	$15	$14	$13.50
July 1, 2022	$15 + CPI-W	$14.50	$14
July 1, 2023	Increased annually by CPI-W	$15	$14.50

CPI-W = Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers 

An employer who provides "home health services" or "home or community-based services" and receives at least 75 percent of gross revenues through state and federal Medicaid programs, may apply to the Office of Human Rights for designation as an eligible services provider subject to an adjusted implementation schedule. 

Most employees must be paid at least the Montgomery County minimum wage rate. Employees age 18 and under, working under 20 hours per week, are exempt from this rate. Employees under 18 years of age must earn at least 85 percent of the State minimum wage rate.  

More information about the County’s minimum wage increase is available on this informational notice.  

 

Release ID: 21-502
Media Contact: Monika Hammer 240-463-2442