No raise for New Jersey minimum-wage earners in ’16

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The minimum wage in New Jersey will not be going up in the New Year.

A constitutional amendment voters approved in 2013 ties New Jersey’s minimum wage to the rate of inflation.

Since the consumer price index edged lower in the past year, the base pay will remain at $8.38 an hour.

Toni Angelini with the National Federation of Independent Business said that helps New Jersey businesses determine their future expenses.

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“Consistency for small business is incredibly important economically. So the fact that what small businesses were planning on spending last year for wages will be consistent with this year is certainly a good thing,” Angelini said.

Brandon McKoy with New Jersey Policy Perspective, however, doesn’t see it that way.

“The minimum wage where it is now is nowhere near enough for low-wage workers to get by with their day-to-day needs in New Jersey, which is a very high cost state,” McKoy said.

Advocates for those workers are pushing to hike the minimum pay to $15 an hour.

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