Employers should be aware that legislation to raise New Jersey’s minimum wage is making it way through both the Assembly and Senate. Similar efforts to raise the minimum wage are also underway in New York and Connecticut. By jointly pursuing the increases, the states hope to defeat arguments by businesses that minimum wage hikes put states at a competitive disadvantage.

The Assembly Labor Committee most recently approved the New Jersey bill (A2162). It seeks to increase the New Jersey minimum wage rate from $7.25 to $8.50 an hour and would also tie future annual adjustments to the Consumer Price Index.

The bill will now go before the General Assembly for further consideration. If enacted, the wage hike would take effect on July 1, 2012. It would also be the first minimum wage increase in three years.