What Is the Minimum Wage in Dover, Delaware?

If you’re looking for a job in Delaware, you may be wondering, what is the minimum wage in Dover?

Workers in retail, warehousing, and the restaurant industry are often paid minimum wage. But if you receive tips or you’re an independent contractor, you may not be eligible for the state minimum wage. 

If you’re wondering what hourly wage you can expect to earn in different entry-level roles in Dover, keep reading. 

What Is a Minimum Wage? 

The minimum wage is the lowest hourly rate that an employer can legally pay a covered nonexempt employee. 

A covered nonexempt employee is basically an hourly worker who’s eligible for the minimum wage and overtime pay. Most employees fall into this category, except for certain types of workers like independent contractors. They aren’t legally entitled to the minimum wage because they aren’t considered employees. 

Tipped employees are also exempt from the minimum wage. Their employers are only required to pay them $2.13 per hour. But if they don’t earn enough tips to bring them up to the federal or state minimum, the employer must make up the difference.

The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 an hour. But some states, cities, and counties have higher base wages that can increase your pay rate. 

Nearly 30 states including Delaware have minimum wage laws that require employers to pay workers more than the federal standard. Some big cities like San Francisco have also chosen to raise base wages to help workers afford the high cost of living. 

Now that you know what a minimum wage is, here’s some more info about the current minimum wage in Dover, Delaware. 

What Is the Minimum Wage in Dover, Delaware? 

As of October 1, 2019, the minimum wage in Dover is $9.25 an hour. Employers can pay workers in training and minors ages 14 to 17 at a lower rate of $8.75 per hour. 

Delaware’s minimum direct wage for tipped employees is slightly higher than the federal minimum at $2.23 per hour. If workers don’t make the full state minimum after tips are factored in, employers have to pay them enough to bring them up to it. 

The minimum wage in Dover is the same as the state minimum wage. A bill to increase Delaware’s base wage to $15 an hour is likely to be introduced in the state senate this year. 

Under the proposed plan, the minimum wage would rise to $11 in 2022 and undergo yearly increases until it reached $15 an hour in 2026. 

Is It a Living Wage?

A living wage is the amount of money you need to afford basic necessities like housing, food, transportation, and medical expenses without assistance. It doesn’t factor in the funds you’d need for retirement savings or fun experiences like travel. 

According to calculations by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a living wage for a single adult in Delaware is approximately $12.44 an hour. The minimum wage in Dover falls short of this at just $9.25 per hour. 

To make ends meet, you may need to live with roommates or take on a side hustle like driving for Uber. You can also try to upskill to get a job with a higher rate of pay. 

Do you think the minimum wage in Dover, Delaware is high enough? Why or why not? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Read more: 

Do You Know The Minimum Wage in Hartford, Connecticut? 

Side Hustles Galore: 5 Awesome Side Jobs You Should Try 

Ways a $10 Minimum Wage Would Help Employees 

If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started. If you want to be able to customize your blog on your own domain and need hosting service, we recommend trying BlueHost. They offer powerful hosting services for $3.95/month!

Read More Source