Everything You Need to Know About the Minimum Salary Act

The Minimum Salary Act is a law that aims to protect employees by setting a minimum wage that employers must pay their workers. This act is designed to ensure that employees earn a fair wage for their work.

The minimum salary threshold varies depending on the industry and location, with some sectors, such as healthcare and education, having higher minimum salary requirements. The law also requires employers to provide a clear explanation of how they arrived at the minimum salary for each employee.

In some cases, employees may be exempt from the minimum salary requirements, such as those who work as independent contractors or in certain executive positions. However, even exempt employees may still be entitled to other benefits, such as overtime pay or paid time off.

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The Virginia Minimum Wage Act, also known as the Minimum Salary Act, is a law that sets the minimum wage for employees in Virginia.

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It defines key terms, including "adjusted state hourly minimum wage", "employee", and "employer." An "employee" includes any individual employed by an employer, but excludes certain groups like farm laborers, traveling salesmen, and taxicab drivers.

The law requires employers to pay their employees at least the federal minimum wage or 75% of the Virginia minimum wage, whichever is greater.

From May 1, 2021, until January 1, 2022, employers must pay their employees at least $9.50 per hour or the federal minimum wage.

From January 1, 2022, until January 1, 2023, employers must pay their employees at least $11.00 per hour or the federal minimum wage.

The Commissioner of Labor and Industry is responsible for setting the adjusted state hourly minimum wage annually, starting from October 1, 2024.

In the state of Washington, the minimum salary threshold for exempt positions is annually increasing.

The threshold specifically applies to university positions within the "Executive, Administrative and Professional" exemption.

As of January 1, 2025, the minimum salary threshold is $77,968.80 per year, or $1,499.40 per week.

This means that university staff members who earn less than $77,968.80 as of January 1, 2025, may be reclassified as nonexempt.

The minimum threshold will continue to increase until January 1, 2028, at which time the projected salary level threshold is $92,560.

Faculty members whose primary job duty is teaching, coaching, instructing, or lecturing to impart knowledge are classified exempt regardless of their salary amount.

Positions falling within the "Executive, Administrative, or Professional" exemptions are subject to a state-required minimum salary before being classified as exempt.

The university presumes that all of its employee positions are nonexempt unless and until the university's Human Resources division concludes that the positions meet the criteria for being exempt.

Seattle U expects to reclassify a number of currently exempt positions to nonexempt through January 1, 2028, and beyond.

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Implementing the Minimum Salary Act requires employers to familiarize themselves with the law and its requirements. This includes understanding the threshold for exempt employees, which is $684 per week or $35,568 per year.

Employers must also ensure they are in compliance with the law by paying employees at least the minimum salary, and not just performing certain job duties. For example, employees in certain industries like finance and law are exempt from overtime pay, but still require a minimum salary.

To avoid any potential issues, employers should review their payroll practices and adjust as necessary to meet the law's requirements. This includes verifying that employees are being paid at least the minimum salary and not being misclassified as exempt.

Employers must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires them to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities.

The ADA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This includes conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, and mental health conditions.

Employers must also provide job descriptions and essential functions to employees as part of the hiring process. This helps employees understand what is expected of them and what accommodations may be necessary.

In some cases, employers may be required to provide temporary or permanent accommodations to employees with disabilities. This could include modifying workstations, providing assistive technology, or adjusting work schedules.

Employers must also keep records of employee requests for accommodations and the actions taken to provide them. This helps ensure compliance with the ADA and can also help resolve any disputes that may arise.

Employers subject to minimum wage laws have to follow both state and federal regulations. Employers are generally subject to both state minimum wage laws and the federal minimum wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

You might be wondering which laws take precedence. Certain provisions of Missouri state law may be less restrictive than federal law, and employers covered by the FLSA that only follow a less restrictive provision of Missouri state law will be in violation of federal law.

If you're an employer, it's essential to know that you can't just follow state law if it's less restrictive than federal law. This is because federal law takes priority, and following only the state law would put you in violation of federal law.

To avoid any confusion, you can visit the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division Website at www.dol.gov/whd for more information on federal minimum wage law.

If you feel you're not being paid the correct wages, you can file a minimum wage complaint.

In the State of Washington, the minimum salary threshold to satisfy the "Executive, Administrative and Professional" exemption is annually increasing. As of January 1, 2025, the threshold is $77,968.80 per year.

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries published a new schedule of minimum salary thresholds through January 1, 2028. This means that university staff members who earn less than $77,968.80 as of January 1, 2025, may no longer be classified as exempt.

Here's a breakdown of the projected salary level thresholds in Washington State from 2025 to 2028:

In Pennsylvania, employers must adhere to the Minimum Wage Act, which includes specific requirements for tipped workers. Tipped workers must make at least $2.83 per hour, and employers cannot take tip credits from workers who make less than $135 in tips per month.

Washington State has specific rules regarding salary thresholds for certain employees. The minimum salary threshold for the "Executive, Administrative and Professional" exemption in Washington State is annually increasing.

As of January 1, 2025, the minimum salary threshold is $77,968.80 per year, or $1,499.40 per week. This means employees earning less than $77,968.80 may no longer be classified as exempt.

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) publishes a schedule of minimum salary thresholds that apply to university positions. The thresholds will continue to increase until January 1, 2028.

By January 1, 2028, the projected salary level threshold is $92,560.

In Pennsylvania, the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, and tipped workers are entitled to at least $2.83 per hour in tips.

Employers who deduct credit card or other payment processing fees from an employee's tips are violating the law.

If you're working in Pennsylvania, you're entitled to be paid 1.5 times your regular rate after 40 hours worked in a workweek.

Employers who don't maintain accurate records of employee earnings are also breaking the rules.

Here are some common minimum wage act violations in Pennsylvania: