New York’s minimum wage to increase Jan. 1

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York’s minimum wage on Jan. 1 will increase to $15-per-hour for much of the state and $16-per-hour in New York City, Westchester County, and Long Island.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced the start of a statewide public-awareness effort to ensure that New Yorkers earning minimum wage receive the state’s increase in that wage when it takes effect next year.

As part of the state budget, Hochul secured an agreement to increase New York’s minimum wage through 2026 and index it to inflation beginning in 2027, her office said. After the initial increase, the minimum wage will increase by 50 cents in 2025 and 2026.

In 2027, the minimum wage will increase annually at a rate determined by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the Northeast Region, described by the state as the “best regional measure of inflation.”  

The New York State Department of Labor will begin a public-awareness campaign to remind New Yorkers about the minimum-wage increase and encourage minimum-wage workers to report missing pay. That effort will include digital outreach via social media, newsletters, e-mail communications, and direct outreach to distribute informational flyers with partnering organizations, Hochul’s office said.

Minimum-wage earners who don’t see the increase reflected in their paychecks can file a wage complaint on the New York State Department of Labor’s website or by calling (833) 910-4378.