PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Tipped workers in Prince George's County may soon get a pay raise as the county council considers a new bill that would require all tipped employees to also receive minimum wage.
As of Jan. 1, 2023, Maryland's minimum wage increased from $12.50 to $13.25 an hour. Currently, the rate for tipped workers in Maryland is $3.63.
If Council Bill 098 (CB-098) passes, it would amend the law governing the minimum wage for a tipped employee working in Prince George's County and employers would be required to submit quarterly wage reports.
The legislation aims to require all tipped employees working in the county be paid minimum wage in addition to any tips by 2028. In the meantime, the Tip Credit an employer can use to calculate the minimum wage for a tipped employee would decrease over the next five years until the base wage for all tipped employees meets the county's minimum wage:
- Three dollars and Sixty-Three cents ($3.63) per hour, until July 1, 2024
- Seven dollars ($7.00) per hour, effective July 1, 2024 until June 30, 2025
- Nine dollars ($9.00) per hour, effective July 1, 2025 until June 30, 2026
- Eleven dollars ($11.00) per hour, effective July 1, 2026 until June 30, 2027
- Thirteen dollars ($13.00) per hour, effective July 1, 2027 until June 30, 2028
"Neighboring jurisdictions such as Washington, D.C., Montgomery County, and Baltimore City have all either passed or proposed similar legislation with the united goal of raising the standard of living," text for the proposed bill states.
The bill was proposed and sponsored by more than half of the council members, including Edward P. Burroughs, Krystal Oriadha, Wala Blegay, Calvin S. Hawkins, Ingrid S. Watson, Sydney J. Harrison.
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