Fair Wage Act

Fair Wage Act

This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the federal minimum wage for employees to:

• $8.00 an hour 30 days after this Act's enactment date or January 1, 2017, whichever date is earlier;
• $9.00 an hour, one year after the date the $8.00 an hour wage takes effect;
• $10.00 an hour, after two years;
• $11.00 an hour, after three years;
• $12.00 an hour, after four years;
• $13.00 an hour, after five years;
• $14.00 an hour, after six years;
• $15.00 an hour, after seven years; and
• the amount determined by the Department of Labor (based on increases in the Consumer Price Index) eight years after such date and annually thereafter.

The bill directs Labor, 60 days before any increase in the minimum wage, to publish it in the Federal Register and on Labor's website.

The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an employer who pays at least $1 more per hour than the federal minimum wage, but not more than $15 per hour, a credit against the employment tax equal to 6.2% of wages paid by such employer during the calendar year.