Bill > SB852

This bill amends Pennsylvania's Minimum Wage Act to make several key changes regarding wages and tipped employees. The legislation gradually increases the minimum wage to $12 per hour by January 1, 2026, and to $15 per hour by January 1, 2027, with automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments beginning in 2025 based on the Consumer Price Index for the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland area. The bill clarifies definitions around gratuities and tipped employees, ensuring that tips are fully retained by workers and cannot be used by employers to offset minimum wage requirements. It also allows municipalities to enact ordinances requiring higher wages than the state minimum, and mandates that employers provide written information to tipped employees about minimum wage requirements. Additionally, the bill modifies preemption rules, essentially eliminating previous exceptions to local wage regulations, meaning the state law now comprehensively governs minimum wage rules across Pennsylvania. The changes to the definition of "wage" will take effect six months after the bill's passage, while most other provisions will take effect immediately, signaling a significant update to the state's labor compensation standards.

Labor and Employment

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=852