The Wage Commission is in charge of making sure that people are paid a fair amount of money for their work. We even protect workers who might lose their jobs. Learn the latest guidelines on how much workers should be paid below.

Minimum Wage 

The minimum wage is the smallest amount of money that a worker who doesn't get tips can be paid for their job. In Maryland, the current minimum wage is $13.25 per hour. All businesses in Baltimore with two or more employees have to pay their workers at least this much money for each hour they work. If you think you're not getting paid the right amount, you can call the Maryland Employment Standards Office at 410-767-2357.


Tipped Employees

For employees who make at least $30 in tips every month, the smallest wage in Maryland is $3.63 per hour. When added with the tips they earn, this $3.63 should add up to the regular, smallest wage that non-tipped employees get. 

To figure out if a tipped employee is getting pay similar to non-tipped workers, we use something called a "tip credit." It's the boss's job to make sure that all employees who get tips are paid fairly. 

To learn more about the tip credit and how to calculate it, you can read a pamphlet from the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation called "Tip Credit Pamphlet.pdf."

Overtime Pay 

For most employees, overtime pay is awarded for any hours worked over 40 hours a week. The overtime pay that must be paid for these hours worked over 40 hours is equal to (normal hourly rate) x (1.5). Do you think your job owes you overtime pay? Not sure how much you should get? Ask the Wage Commission by visiting the  Contact Us page.

Exemptions 

Some people don't have to follow the minimum wage and overtime pay rules. If you're not sure whether you or someone you know should follow these rules, you can ask the wage commission for help. Here are some examples of people who might not have to follow the Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay Laws:

  • Certain farm workers.
  • People who have important jobs like managers, office workers, and experts.
  • People who do volunteer work for schools, charities, churches, and non-profit groups.
  • Kids under 16 who work less than 20 hours a week.
  • People who sell things outside of a store.
  • People who earn money through commissions.
  • People who are learning in a special education program at a public school.
  • Regular workers at camps.
  • Some places that sell food and drinks.
  • Drive-in movie theaters.
  • Places that prepare fruits, vegetables, poultry, or seafood for the first time by canning, packing, or freezing them.

These kinds of workers are exempt only from Overtime, not from earning Minimum Wage:

  • Taxicab drivers
  • People who sell or fix cars and trucks, farm equipment or trailers. 
  • Non-profit concert promoter, theater, music festival, music pavilion, or theatrical show
  • Employers who must follow certain rules from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Motor Carrier Act, and the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Living Wage 

The Commission looks at how much money people need to live and then suggests the right wage. They send this information to the Board of Estimates. Right now, the living wage is $16.13 per hour.

Prevailing Wage 

The Wage Commission makes sure that workers are paid fairly on city construction projects that cost more than $5,000 and are run by the Mayor and City Council. This covers five types of work: building construction, highways, alleys, sewers, housing, and maintenance.

Every week, the people in charge of the project have to give the agency information about how much they pay the workers. The agency checks this information, and if they find mistakes or if the workers aren't paid enough, there are penalties. They also make sure that the right number of apprentices and experienced workers are on the job. If there are problems, they have meetings to talk about it.

The agency also looks at how much workers in the city should be paid for different jobs. They suggest this to the Board of Estimates. If you want to know the specific wages for these jobs, you can check the list that's organized by the year.