RELATING TO WAGES.

HB 524 sets a maximum minimum wage of $15 per hour for covered workers and adjusts the timeline for when businesses can apply a tip credit toward meeting wage requirements. It directly affects hourly workers in jobs subject to minimum wage laws and businesses that employ tipped workers, such as restaurants. The bill changes how employers calculate the tip credit - shifting the schedule for when they can reduce base wages below the minimum wage if tips make up the difference. This policy change prevents future minimum wage increases beyond $15 and modifies the process for tipped employee compensation.