Minimum Wage Increase Proposed in Wyoming Legislature
Wyoming's minimum wage would grow by more than four dollars per hour under a bill introduced last week in the state House of Representatives.
House Bill 140 would raise the state's minimum hourly wage to $9.50 from the current $5.15.
The proposal would also allow employers to pay a training wage of at least $7.50 to employees who have been on the job less than six months.
Tipped employees such as waitstaff would see their minimum wage increase from $2.13 to $5.50 per hour. If the wage from the employer combined with tips not add up to at least the minimum wage, the employer pays the difference under current statute.
The bill would hold employers accountable for paying that difference each pay period, following submission of daily records by the employee.
(d) Any employer that does not pay the difference to the minimum wage to a tipped employee as provided in W.S. 27-4-202(b) shall be liable in a civil action to the employee for three (3) times the amount due, but in no case less than one hundred dollars ($100.00). An employee substantially prevailing in an action for underpayment under this subsection shall be entitled to reasonable attorney fees and the costs of the action.
The proposal is sponsored by Rep. James W. Byrd (D-Cheyenne). It was introduced Jan. 17 and referred to the House Labor Committee.