What is the current minimum wage?

As of January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in New York City is $17.00 per hour. This is clearly not enough. One in four New Yorkers are living in poverty in the city with the highest concentration of billionaires in the world. Half of New Yorkers say they have a hard time affording basic necessities like rent, food, and utilities. No one working 40 hours a week should be forced to juggle multiple jobs, face homelessness, or leave our city. 

What is the NYC Minimum Wage Act?

The NYC Minimum Wage Act (Intro 757) establishes a $30/hr minimum wage for New York City workers. This would be the highest minimum wage in the country. The minimum wage will rise in gradual annual increases to $30 by 2030 or 2032 based on the size of your business. Employers with over 500 employees must provide $30 an hour by 2030, and those with 500 or less are expected to provide at least $30 an hour by 2032. The law will also require annual cost-of-living adjustments so wages keep up with inflation. 

How will this impact workers and their families?

A $30 minimum wage is about stability, dignity, and keeping working people and families here in New York City. When you struggle to put food on the table, you’re less likely to have the resources to take care of your health, education, and that of your family. These conditions lower quality of life, can lead to chronic illness and earlier deaths, and harm our children’s future. The minimum wage is a racial, immigrant, and gender justice issue as well. Women, immigrants, and workers of color are disproportionately represented among low-wage workers and will benefit the most from a $30 minimum wage.

How does this impact local businesses?

Workers are barely scraping by while big corporation profits are soaring. Workers don’t have enough money to spend, leaving many local businesses behind. Higher wages strengthen local businesses. When workers get paid more, they spend locally on groceries, childcare, transportation and services. Raising wages puts money directly back into local economies. 

Higher pay also reduces costly employee turnover, improves productivity, and boosts morale and customer service. The evidence backs this up: When NYC raised its minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 between 2013 and 2019, industries reliant on low-wage workers grew faster than comparable industries nationally. A 2023 study of New York’s $15 fast-food wage found significant pay increases without job losses. 

What about tipped workers?

Tipped food service workers deserve stability and fairness. Under this proposal, tipped food service workers would receive higher wages directly from their employer in addition to tips, with a slightly longer rollout schedule. Eventually, over several years, tipped food service workers would receive the full $30 minimum wage. This ends the two-tier system that leaves tipped food service workers vulnerable to unpredictable income, wage theft, and harassment. A full minimum wage for each and every worker no matter their occupation ensures every worker earns a stable income, regardless of tips.

How does this proposal compare to other high-cost cities?

New York City used to be a leader in the minimum wage but now we are lagging behind. High-cost cities like Seattle ($21.30), San Francisco ($18.67), Denver ($19.29) and Flagstaff, AZ ($18.35) have higher wages than New York City ($17). Airport and hotel workers in Los Angeles are set to reach $30/hour by 2028. Workers in Alameda County, California just launched a campaign for $30. In one of the most expensive cities in the world, New Yorkers deserve more than $17 an hour. 

Who supports this initiative? 

Raising the minimum wage is a popular policy. According to a recent poll, likely voters in the nation’s largest cities – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco – show very strong support for raising the minimum wage for all workers, including tipped workers, to a living wage of $30 an hour. 

The Raise Up NY coalition, made up of community organizations, labor unions, small businesses, and more, are organizing for a $30 minimum wage by 2030. In the City Council, Council Member Sandy Nurse is championing legislation to make it happen.

Mayor Mamdani also included a $30 minimum wage in his affordability platform, and voters turned out in record numbers to elect him. With the backing of popular support  and grassroots organizations, we can win a wage that New Yorkers deserve.