Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched a "Fight for Fair Pay" campaign last week to advocate for his two-tiered budget proposal to raise the New York City specific minimum wage to $11.50 per hour and $10.50 elsewhere by the end of the year. In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio again called for $13 city-wide minimum wage.

If no action is taken in the budget or during this legislative session year, the statutory minimum wage, which is currently $8.75, will still rise to $9 by December 31, 2015. Similarly, the Department of Labor Commissioner’s Wage Board Order will raise the hospitality industry’s tip wage to a uniform $7.50 also by December 31. However, if the governor’s tiered state/city minimum wage proposal is approved, city tipped workers would receive $8.50 per hour effective on the same day as the city’s increase.