The Montgomery County Council unanimously approved a bill requiring that all county employers pay a minimum wage of $15 an hour by 2024, with an earlier phase-in for employers with 50 or more employees. County Executive Ike Leggett has said he will sign the legislation.
County employers with 51 or more employees must pay the new wage by 2021. Those with 11 to 50 employees have until 2023. Those with 10 or fewer employees must pay the $15 wage by 2024. The wage must periodically be adjusted for inflation.
An earlier version of the legislation with quicker phase-in passed in January 5-4 and was vetoed by Leggett. The changes in the timing persuaded all Council members and Leggett to back the amended version.
Montgomery County is the second jurisdiction in the region to pass a $15 minimum wage. In DC, the $15 minimum will start in 2020. Virginia employers pay the federal minimum wage of $7.25.
Backers of the Montgomery County minimum wage bill plan to take the cause to the Maryland General Assembly urging adoption statewide. Montgomery County is the only locality nationwide that has passed a $15 minimum wage before the state has, according to the Washington Post.
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