Small/seasonal employers: $15.23/hr in 2026.
Employers with fewer than 6 employees and seasonal employers (May 1 through September 30 hires) pay a separate, lower minimum wage tier under P.L. 2019, c. 32 — currently $15.23/hr in 2026. The small/seasonal phase-up was designed to lessen the impact on smaller businesses; the rate reaches the standard $15.92+ in 2028 and then indexes annually with the standard tier. Defining 'seasonal' is the operational watchpoint: the statutory definition is narrow.
Small/Seasonal Employer Wage Tier
Routes small employers (under 6 employees) and seasonal employers to the $15.23 tier. Validates seasonal definition against P.L. 2019, c. 32 statutory criteria. Auto-uplifts annually each January 1.
What those rules do at hire and at shift save.
The hero card configuration: Block below tier rate, Flag on seasonal classification.
When a small or seasonal employer shift is saved at a rate below $15.23, the save fails. The controlling tier and source statute are identified.
Seasonal employer status has a statutory definition (May 1 through September 30 only, or non-profit/government recreational programs in same window). Employers attempting to claim seasonal status outside the definition trigger a Flag for review — misclassification routes to the standard $15.92 rate.
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Two qualifying paths: small (under 6) or seasonal (May-September).
The small/seasonal tier exists to give very small businesses additional time to absorb the 2019 minimum wage increase. The qualifying definitions are narrow and audit-tested.
Small employer definition
An employer with fewer than 6 employees qualifies for the small employer tier. Headcount counts all employees worldwide, not just New Jersey-based — meaning a 4-employee NJ branch of a 50-employee parent does not qualify. The threshold is calculated based on the average number of employees during each of any 20 calendar workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year. Crossing the threshold triggers immediate transition to the standard tier.
Seasonal employer definition
P.L. 2019, c. 32 defines 'seasonal employment' narrowly: employment by a seasonal employer during May 1 through September 30, OR employment by a non-profit or governmental entity of an individual not employed by that employer outside the same May-September window, OR governmental recreational programs during May-September. Outside this narrow definition, seasonal status doesn't apply. Notably, employees engaged on farms (hourly or piece-rate) are explicitly excluded from seasonal status — they run on the agricultural tier.
Teambridge tracks employer size and seasonal classification automatically.
The 6-employee threshold and the narrow seasonal definition are the operational watchpoints — both audit-tested.
Worldwide headcount measured rolling.
Employer headcount is calculated based on the average employees per workweek over 20 weeks. Workers are counted regardless of NJ-based or out-of-state status — the threshold is worldwide.
Approaching 6 → standard tier preview.
When the rolling average approaches 6 employees, Teambridge surfaces the upcoming standard-tier transition. Operators see the wage step-up implication before crossing.
Hire date + employer type checked.
When seasonal status is claimed, the hire date (May 1 - September 30 only) and employer type (seasonal/non-profit/government recreational) are validated against P.L. 2019, c. 32. Mismatches → standard-tier routing.
Small/seasonal tier rises with CPI.
Each January 1, the small/seasonal tier increases per the phase-up schedule plus CPI. Through 2027 the tier remains lower than standard; from 2028 forward they reach parity.
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