The Wage Commission supports the Minimum Wage, Prevailing Wage and Living Wage Programs whose functions are as follows:
Minimum Wage
The current Minimum Wage for Baltimore City is $7.25 per hour, effective July 24, 2009. This minimum hourly rate applies to all businesses in the City with two or more employees. Routine investigations are conducted to insure compliance. Investigations are also conducted for non-payment of wages, illegal deductions, and various other complaints dealing with wages.
Prevailing Wage
The Wage Commission enforces prevailing wage rates for all city construction projects let by the Mayor and City Council over $5,000. This includes five classifications:
- Building Construction
- Highways
- Alleys, Sewers and Drains
- Housing
- Maintenance, repair and minor remodeling Bureau of Purchases
Weekly payrolls are submitted to the agency, checked, and verified by field interviews. Penalties are assessed for late submission of payrolls, paying below the contract rate for specific trades such as carpenter, electrician, ironworker, etc., and not maintaining proper ratios of apprentices to journeymen. Hearings are conducted in relation to any violations. The agency also conducts annual surveys to determine the prevailing wages to be paid on City contracts and makes its recommendation to the Board of Estimates.
Living Wage
All service contracts established by Ordinance 442, and currently referenced by the City Code, Article 5, Subtitle 25, require the payment of the City’s Living Wage. The Commission conducts an annual study using federal poverty guidelines to determine the future wage rate to be paid. The recommendation is then submitted to the Board of Estimates. The current hourly Living Wage rate of $10.59 will remain in effect through June 30, 2012.