New rules for minimum-wage and tipped workers are now in effect in Michigan.
On Friday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed compromise legislation that ended a battle that began with a 2018 ballot proposal that was subsequently hijacked and diluted by the legislature. The Michigan Supreme Court later ruled the action unconstitutional.
Under the new law, the current minimum wage is $12.48 per hour for adults, $10.61 an hour for minors, and $4.74 per hour for tipped workers. Employers of tipped workers are required to supplement that wage if tips don’t bring the compensation level up to that of the standard minimum wage.
Increases will be coming. The standard minimum will increase to $13.73 per hour January 1, 2026. On January 1, 2027, it will rise to $15 per hour. After that, it will be adjusted yearly to reflect the cost of living.
