Tennessee Democratic Party chair Mary Mancini released a statement Monday criticizing Governor Haslam for opposing the proposed minimum wage increase. The proposed increase would have pushed the minimum wage to $15 per hour, which would hurt thousands of small businesses across the volunteer state, according to some.

Mancini stated, "Governor Haslam doesn't know what it's like to live paycheck to paycheck. He is opposing a minimum wage bill by flagging it with a "philosophical" objection. This bill would raise the minimum wage for ordinary Tennesseans to $15 per hour. He is coming out against the bill on the same week he was called the "richest" politician in the nation by Forbes Magazine. Governor Haslam has all the money he needs but he doesn't think ordinary Tennesseans deserve to make a living wage."

Current Minimum Wages in Tennessee:

• 2015 Minimum Wage $7.25/hour
• 2015 Tipped Wage $2.13/hour (Most waiters and waitresses receive this wage)

SB 2322 / HB 2090: Salaries and Benefits 2016

As introduced, establishes a minimum wage of $15.00 as of July 1; provides a minimum wage for employees in the service industry who receive tips and employees that are compensated solely by gratuities; authorizes the department of labor and workforce development to promulgate rules in compliance with federal law. - Amends TCA Title 50, Chapter 2

In Detail:

This bill establishes an hourly minimum wage in Tennessee, which will be the greater of the federal minimum wage or, on and after July 1, 2016, no less than $15.00 per hour.

This bill additionally establishes the following:

• (1) The minimum-hourly wage for employees in the hotel, motel, tourist, and restaurant industries who customarily and regularly receive more than $30.00 a month in tips will be $4.74;
• (2) The minimum-hourly wage for employees who are compensated by way of gratuities will be $6.15; provided, that the sum of wages and gratuities received by each person compensated by gratuities must equal or exceed the minimum-wage rate provided for in this bill; and
• (3) The minimum-overtime-hourly rate, for any work done by the employee in excess of 40 hours during a work week, must be one and one-half times the regular wage rate.

This bill requires employers to post informational summaries concerning the state minimum wage in a conspicuous and accessible place in or about the premises of the employer's place of business.

Any employee who receives a judgment for a violation of this bill's wage requirements will be entitled to the amount of unpaid minimum wages, an amount equal to unpaid wages as damages, and payment of court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. The statute of limitations for a claim brought under this bill will be three years.

In the administration of this bill, the commissioner of labor and workforce development will be required to cooperate with the administrator of the wage and hour division of the United States department of labor.

This bill specifies that it does not interfere with collective bargaining rights.

Employees who are excluded from the federal minimum wage requirements are exempt from this bill.