Bill > HB898

This bill establishes the Mississippi Minimum Wage Act, which sets the state minimum wage at $10.00 per hour and provides guidelines for wage and overtime regulations. For tipped employees, employers can pay a reduced minimum wage of $3.62 per hour. The bill mandates that employees earning $455.00 or less per week are entitled to overtime pay at a rate of 1.5 times their regular hourly rate. Certain categories of workers are specifically guaranteed overtime pay, including manual laborers, blue-collar workers, law enforcement and emergency personnel, and employees whose primary duties are not management or specialized intellectual work. The bill defines key terms such as "tipped employee" and "manual laborers" and specifies that for employers and employees not specifically mentioned in the act, the Fair Labor Standards Act will apply. The provisions of this bill are set to take effect on July 1, 2025, providing a clear timeline for implementation and allowing businesses time to adjust to the new wage standards.