Minimum Wage Increases in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Stays the Same in Massachusetts.

By Robert P. Brooks on January 5, 2026

Effective January 1, 2026 the minimum wage in Rhode Island has been increased to sixteen dollars ($16.00) per hour.  Exceptions to the new minimum wage in Rhode Island will continue for fulltime students under nineteen (19) years of age working in non-profit religious, educational, library or community service organizations and for minors fourteen (14) and fifteen (15) years of age working twenty-four (24) hours per week or less.  Fulltime students under nineteen (19) years of age working in the non-profit sector should be paid fourteen dollars and forty cents ($14.40), or ninety percent (90%) of the minimum wage and minors fourteen (14) and fifteen (15) years of age working less than twenty-four (24) hours per week should be paid twelve dollars ($12.00) per hour, or seventy-five percent (75%) of the minimum wage.  Minors aged fourteen (14) and fifteen (15) who work in excess of twenty-four (24) hours in any workweek should be paid for all hours worked in that week at the full amount of sixteen dollars ($16.00) per hour.

There is no increase in the minimum rate in Rhode Island for employees engaged in work or employment in which they have received gratuities. Such employees must be paid not less than three dollars and eighty-nine cents ($3.89) per hour, provided their wage with tips included is at least sixteen dollars ($16.00) per hour.

On January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in Connecticut has been increased to sixteen dollars and ninety-four cents ($16.94) per hour.  Minors under age eighteen (18) employed in Connecticut must be paid a minimum of fourteen dollars and forty cents ($14.40) per hour, or eighty-five percent (85%) of Connecticut’s minimum wage for the first ninety (90) days of their employment.  Thereafter, the minimum wage for minors employed by an employer for ninety (90) days or more increases to the same sixteen dollars and ninety-four cents ($16.94) per hour applicable to all adult employees.

Finally, hotel and restaurant staff and bartenders in Connecticut who receive tips must be paid specific amounts per hour.  Hotel and restaurant employees must be paid a minimum of eight dollars and twenty-three cents ($8.23) per hour, and bartenders mut be paid a minimum of six dollars and thirty-eight cents ($6.38) per hour, provided that with tips included such employees receive at least sixteen dollars and ninety-four cents ($16.94) per hour.

In Massachusetts the minimum wage established on January 1, 2023 of fifteen dollars ($15.00) per hour will continue and the service rate paid to workers in Massachusetts who provide services to customers and make more than twenty dollars ($20.00) a month in tips shall continue to be a minimum of six dollars and seventy-five cents ($6.75) per hour, provided that with tips included such employees receive at least fifteen dollars ($15.00) per hour.

Employers with questions regarding the application of the Rhode Island, Connecticut or Massachusetts minimum wage laws should contact Robert P. Brooks, Michael D. Chittick or Brendan F. Ryan for more information.