Labor Relations

Minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly wage that businesses may legally pay to employees or workers. Legislation passed in 2007 (SB 324) changed the state minimum wage law effective January 1, 2008. The federal government has also passed a higher federal minimum wage. Both the federal and state minimum wage increases are phased in on different dates.

Most New Mexico businesses will see the state minimum wage increase and will be required to pay a minimum wage of:

$6.50 per hour effective January 1, 2008
$7.50 per hour effective January 1, 2009

Federal minimum wage increases:

$5.85 per hour effective July 24, 2007
$6.55 per hour effective July 24, 2008
$7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009

Businesses are required by state and federal law to post at their workplaces certain information concerning the rights of employees. The required posters, including federal posters, are available free of charge from New Mexico state agencies or can be downloaded at http://www.dws.state.nm.us/new/Labor_Relations/posters.html

For questions on minimum wage, please contact Wage and Hour Bureau at:

1596 Pacheco Street, Suite 201, Santa Fe NM 87505 [Phone: 827-6817 | Fax: 827-9676]
625 Silver Ave. SW, Suite 410, Albuquerque, NM 87102 [ Phone:841-4400 | Fax:842-4422 ]
500 South Main, Suite 10200, Las Cruces, NM 88001 [Phone: 524-6195 | Fax: 524-6194]

For more information on Federal Law on minimum wage visit the US DOL website at the following links: