Baltimore City's Living Wage Increases to $17.17 Effective July 1
BALTIMORE, MD — Effective today, July 1, 2026, Baltimore City’s Living Wage has increased to $17.17 per hour, marking both the annual wage update and a significant modernization in how the City calculates the Living Wage, which affects approximately 3,500 workers.
Administered by the Baltimore City Wage Commission (WGC) within the Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR), the new rate reflects Baltimore City's ongoing commitment to ensuring that workers performing services under City contracts receive wages that better align with today’s economic realities.
For the first time in the Wage Commission's history, Baltimore City has adopted a more modern methodology for calculating the Living Wage. Previously, the rate was based on the U.S. Census Bureau's Poverty Threshold for a family of four—a measure that does not fully reflect the actual cost of living in the Baltimore metropolitan region. Moving forward, the Living Wage will also be adjusted annually using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Washington–Baltimore–Arlington metropolitan area, as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This updated approach provides a more accurate and consistent measure of changes in the regional cost of living.
“We are making historic progress tackling generational challenges right now, including public safety and vacants, and we want to make sure the folks helping us fuel that growth feel the benefits,” said Mayor Brandon Scott. “I want to thank the Office of Equity and Civil Rights and the Wage Commission for helping us deliver for working people in Baltimore, today and every day.”
"Worker protection is a core part of what equity looks like in practice," said OECR Director and Baltimore City Chief Equity Officer Amber Greene. "These are not abstract policies. They are protections with real consequences for real people right here in Baltimore, and our office is committed to enforcing these laws and ensuring workers receive the protections they are entitled to."
"Fair wages are not a courtesy, they are a floor," said Aracely Stafford, Chief of the Baltimore City Wage Commission. "The Living Wage exists to make sure that when Baltimore City spends public dollars on services, those dollars reach the workers doing the work. Today's update reinforces that commitment, and we want everyone covered by this law to know what they're owed and how to get it."
Baltimore made history as the first city in the nation to enact and enforce a living wage law, and the $17.17 rate effective today reflects that continuing legacy. Under Baltimore City Code, Article 5, Subtitle 26, contractors and subcontractors. City service contracts are required to pay all employees at least the established Living Wage rate. Employees eligible for Living Wage benefits are also entitled to overtime pay at one and one-half times their regular hourly rate for all hours worked over eight in a single workday or 40 in a single workweek.
Employers are required to post the updated Living Wage notice in the workplace in a location where it can be clearly seen and read by workers. A printable version of the required notice is available through OECR at baltimorecity.gov/civil-rights/wage-commission/resources.
Workers who believe they are not being paid the required Living Wage have the right to file a complaint with the Baltimore City Wage Commission within one year of the alleged violation. Complaints can be filed online at www.baltimorecity.gov/civil-rights or by calling OECR at 410-396-3141. The Commission investigates all complaints and, where probable cause is found, pursues full restitution for workers and assesses penalties of $50 per day for each underpaid worker, with each day of underpayment constituting a separate violation. Retaliation against workers for filing a complaint or participating in Commission proceedings is prohibited by law.
To support implementation of the new rate, OECR is launching a public education campaign to help employers and workers understand the updated Living Wage requirements and the rights and responsibilities established under Baltimore City’s Living Wage law. OECR encourages all workers, regardless of immigration status or employment arrangement, to reach out with questions. Staff are available to help workers understand their rights and navigate the complaint process.
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About the Office of Equity and Civil Rights
The Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR) is a city agency devoted to advancing equity, upholding federal and local civil rights laws, local wage laws, ADA compliance, and providing oversight of local law enforcement. The Office of Equity and Civil Rights carries out activities to eliminate inequity, inequality, and discrimination through the work of its divisions that support the work of several boards, commissions, and committees according to their respective enabling legislation, including: the Community Relations Commission, the Equity Division, the Mayor's Commission on Disabilities, the Police Accountability Division, which includes the Administrative Charging Committee, and the Police Accountability Board, the Veterans Commission, the Wage Commission, and the Women's Commission.
Learn More About the Wage Commission
For more information about Baltimore City’s Wage Commission (WGC) or the Office of Equity and
Civil Rights, please visit: baltimorecity.gov/civil-rights/wage-commission.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jumel Howard,
Chief of External Affairs
The City of Baltimore’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights
(443) 602-5461| jumel.howard@baltimorecity.gov