Minimum wage to hold steady in Nevada

By Cy Ryan (contact)

Wednesday, April 11, 2012 | 3:40 p.m.

CARSON CITY — Nevada's minimum wage and daily overtime pay will remain the same next fiscal year, according to state Labor Commissioner Thoran Towler.

Employees who receive qualified health benefits from their employers will continue to be paid $7.25 an hour. Those who do not receive health insurance will be paid $8.25 an hour.

The minimum wage must be calculated each year and any change is due July 1. The rates are adjusted annually by comparing increases in the federal minimum wage over $5.15 per hour or, if greater, the cumulative increase in the cost of living.

"While the cost-of-living adjustment for this year increased over last year, it is still less than the $2.10 increase in the federal minimum wage that went into effect in 2009," Towler said. "Since the minimum wage is not increasing this year, the daily overtime will remain the same as well."

Employees who receive qualified health benefits from their employers and earn less than $10.87 an hour, and employees earning less than $12.37 per hour who do not receive qualified heath benefits, must be paid overtime when they work more than eight hours in a 24-hour period.