Beginning January 1, 2024, Maryland businesses will have to pay their hourly workers at least $15 an hour. The Maryland Senate Bill 555, also known as the Fair Wage Act of 2023, made this possible. On April 11, 2023, Governor Wes Moore signed it into law. All employers, even those in Montgomery County with 10 or fewer workers, must raise their pay from $14.50 to $15 an hour because of the law.
Montgomery County already has a rule about the minimum wage. It was made by County Executive Marc Elrich. As of July 1, 2018, this rule gradually raised the minimum wage for all businesses, no matter how big or small. A law in the county said that on July 1, 2024, the minimum wage for small businesses would go up to $15. This raise came about because of a new law in Maryland.
The County minimum wage went up on July 1, 2023. It is now $16.70 an hour for big businesses with 51 or more workers, $15 an hour for medium-sized businesses with 11 to 50 workers, and $14.50 an hour for small businesses with one to ten workers. Employers in Montgomery County have to pay at least the State minimum wage or the County minimum wage, whichever is higher. Because of this, big businesses in the County must still pay at least $16.70 an hour.
The Montgomery County minimum wage rates for July 1, 2024, have not been set yet. If changes need to be made, County law says they must be based on the Consumer Price Index from the previous year for all wage makers and office workers in the Washington region who live in cities.
County Executive Elrich said he supported the statewide bill and thanked Governor Moore for making it a priority. He said that the minimum pay should be high enough for people to be able to feed and house their families.