Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases the hourly minimum wage.

Highlights:

• Increases the hourly minimum wage from $7.25 to the following amounts (Sec. 2):
• $8.20, beginning July 1, 2015;
• $9.15, beginning July 1, 2016; and
• $10.10, beginning July 1, 2017.

• Exempts the following businesses from paying the increased minimum wage if the business’s average annual gross volume of sales is less than $500,000 for the preceding 5 years (Sec. 1):
• Retail stores;
• Service industries;
• Hotels and motels; and
• Restaurants.

• Prohibits an employer from discriminating against an employee on the basis of sex, race, or national origin by paying an employee less than an employee of a different sex, race, or national origin for work on “equivalent jobs,” effective July 1, 2017 (Secs. 4 & 7).

• Defines “equivalent jobs” as jobs or occupations whose requirements are equivalent when viewed in terms of skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that it will not be a violation of the provisions of this bill if the employer pays his or her employees different wage rates based on the following circumstances, effective July 1, 2017 (Secs. 4 & 7):
• A seniority or merit system that does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, or national origin;
• A system that measures earnings by quantity or quality of product; or
• A factor other than sex, race, or national origin.

Full Bill Text