By John Reitmeyer
NJ Spotlight News, January 5, 2026
Workers making the minimum hourly wage in New Jersey saw a raise on Thursday, Jan. 1, an increase that establishes a statewide rate close to $16 for many workers.
The 43-cents-an-hour pay hike to $15.92 occurred automatically because the state Constitution requires annual cost-of-living adjustments to ensure New Jersey’s minimum hourly wage keeps pace with annual rates of inflation. ...
New Jersey is one of more than a dozen states that have such indexing rules on the books, according to Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, a national network of business owners, executives and business organizations that tracks wage policy across the nation. ...
“Higher wages strengthen the economy – workers have more buying power and businesses see more consumer demand,” said Mitch Cahn, owner of Unionwear, a Newark-based apparel and accessories manufacturer.
“As a longtime manufacturer of American-made products, we know that when you invest in your employees, you keep experienced employees who are more skilled, efficient and resourceful,” Cahn said. “We see it every day: Strong morale drives strong performance and resilience.” ...