Mayor Steven M. Fulop announced today the creation of a $20 per hour Living Wage Statute for all full-time Jersey City employees to provide an adequate standard of living and help offset nationwide historic inflation and increased cost of living while retaining employees.

As part of the City’s 2022-2023 fiscal year budget, the Living Wage Statute will boost salaries for hundreds of current and future Jersey City residents and workers from $17 (already one of the highest minimum wage rates in the nation) to $20 per hour – which is $7 more than New Jersey’s current hourly minimum wage.

“In Jersey City, we already set the highest minimum wage standards, and we are taking it a step further to provide our residents and workers with a decent standard of living so that they don’t have to decide between feeding their children dinner or making rent,” said Fulop.  “By introducing a living wage, we are raising the bar, putting upwards pressure on salaries, offsetting historic federal inflation levels and cost of living increases, improving employee retention, and sustaining our local economy.”

Many people making minimum wage live below the poverty level as current data proves it has been outpaced by the cost of living and often does not provide a person with enough means to live, especially for those with children, parents, or others to care for.

The living wage will help ensure all full-time municipal employees receive enough compensation to support their families with food, housing, healthcare, childcare, and other daily necessities to ultimately better their futures.

“The new living wage threshold will boost employee retention and recruitment, and provide workers a new standard of living.  It will help alleviate the strain on personal expenses, returning those dollars back into the local economy,” added Business Administrator John Metro.

From the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance, which increases affordable and workforce housing availability, to worker protections, the Fulop Administration continues to take substantial steps to maintain affordability and offer much-needed financial support for the residents and employees who need it most.

Under Mayor Fulop’s leadership, Jersey City consistently maintains the highest wage standards statewide.

Just four months into the Fulop Administration, in 2013, Jersey City became the first in New Jersey to guarantee sick days, an effort led by Mayor Fulop to protect the health of our working families. These efforts were further built upon in 2015 when Mayor Fulop signed a wage theft prevention ordinance into law.  Just one year later, Mayor Fulop raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2016, a move that doubled the prior rate and was eventually followed by other municipalities and ultimately the State.