A state minimum wage, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority. (FE)

This bill repeals references to and provisions for a living wage and replaces them with provisions requiring a minimum wage, described as follows. Under this bill, DWD will continue to provide the exemptions listed above as well as separate minimum wages for opportunity employees, agricultural employees, camp counselors, golf caddies, students employed at independent colleges and universities for less than 20 hours per week, student learners employed in bona fide school training programs, and individuals who are unable to earn the standard minimum wages because of a disability. For employees generally and for tipped employees, however, the bill sets the minimum wages as follows:

- See PDF for table Beginning three years after the bill's effective date for employees generally and one year after the bill's effective date for tipped employees, the bill requires DWD annually to promulgate rules revising the minimum wages established under the bill by determining the percentage difference between the consumer price index for the preceding 12-month period (year) and the consumer price index for the year before the preceding year, adjusting the minimum wages then in effect by that percentage difference, and rounding that result to the nearest multiple of five cents. For tipped employees, the bill requires DWD to increase the minimum wage by 95 cents each year until the minimum wage for tipped employees equals 70 percent of the minimum wage for employees generally and then in subsequent years to revise the minimum wage for tipped employees so that the minimum wage for tipped employees remains equal to 70 percent of the minimum wage for employees generally, rounded to the nearest multiple of five cents. DWD, however, is not required to revise the general minimum wage if the consumer price index for the preceding year has not increased over the consumer price index for the year before the preceding year.