Connecticut’s minimum wage is $16.94 an hour in 2026, up from $16.35 in 2025 [1][2]. It rises again to $17.48 an hour on January 1, 2027 [1][3]. Since 2024 the rate goes up every January on its own, tied to a federal measure of wage growth, so no new law is needed for each raise [4].
At a glance
| Effective date | Hourly minimum |
|---|---|
| June 1, 2023 | $15.00 |
| January 1, 2024 | $15.69 |
| January 1, 2025 | $16.35 |
| January 1, 2026 | $16.94 |
| January 1, 2027 | $17.48 |
How the yearly increase works
Connecticut law set the minimum at $15.00 an hour on June 1, 2023, and then switched to automatic yearly adjustments [4]. Each October 15, the Labor Commissioner announces the new rate, and it takes effect the following January 1 [4]. The size of the raise equals the percentage change in the federal employment cost index for wages and salaries of all civilian workers, over the 12 months ending June 30 of the year before [4].
For 2026, that index rose 3.6%, which added 59 cents to the hourly rate [2]. For 2027, it rose 3.2% over the 12 months ending June 30, 2026, adding 54 cents [3].
The law also has two built-in guardrails:
- The state minimum can never be lower than half a percent above the highest federal minimum wage [4].
- If the state’s real economy shrinks for two quarters in a row, the Labor Commissioner must advise the Governor on whether to suspend the scheduled increase [4]. Only the legislature could act on that.
Tipped workers
Connecticut sets a fixed employer’s share for workers who customarily and regularly receive tips [5]:
- $6.38 an hour for restaurant and hotel workers other than bartenders [5],
- $8.23 an hour for bartenders [5].
Tips are credited for the difference between that cash wage and the full minimum wage [5]. At $16.94, that means tips have to cover up to $10.56 an hour for a server and $8.71 for a bartender. If they don’t, the employer owes the difference.
Workers under 18
Employers can pay workers under 18 (unless they’re emancipated minors) 85% of the minimum wage for their first 90 days on the job, or $10.10 an hour, whichever is higher [4]. After 90 days, the full minimum applies [4]. At the 2026 rate, 85% works out to about $14.40 an hour.
If you’re paid less than you’re owed
1. File a complaint with the Department of Labor. The Wage and Workplace Standards Division takes unpaid-wage claims online, using a Statement of Claim for Wages [6]. For help with the form, call (860) 263-6790, open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. [6].
Two things to know before you file [6]:
- Investigations of unpaid wages are limited to the previous two years, counted from the date you submit the complaint.
- There’s a backlog. The division says it is currently 8 to 10 months behind in assigning new claims.
2. Go to court. A worker paid less than the minimum wage can sue for twice the unpaid amount, plus costs and reasonable attorney’s fees [7]. If the employer proves it believed in good faith that it was following the law, the award is the unpaid amount itself [7].
A lawsuit for wages generally must be started within two years [8]. Filing a wage complaint with the Labor Commissioner pauses (tolls) that deadline [8].
Other states
Comparing Connecticut with its neighbors? See BestAmerica’s minimum wage by state.
Sources
- Connecticut Department of Labor, Wage and Workplace Standards (minimum wage rates)
- Office of Governor Ned Lamont, Minimum wage will increase (September 3, 2025)
- Office of Governor Ned Lamont, Minimum wage will increase (August 5, 2026)
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-58: Minimum fair wage, yearly adjustment, workers under 18
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-60: Gratuities and the employer's share for tipped workers
- Connecticut Department of Labor, File a wage complaint
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-68: Collection of minimum or overtime wage
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-596: Two-year limit on actions for wages
Next steps
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What is the minimum wage in Connecticut in 2026?
$16.94 an hour, in effect since January 1, 2026. It was $16.35 in 2025.
What will Connecticut's minimum wage be in 2027?
$17.48 an hour, starting January 1, 2027. The increase follows the federal employment cost index, which rose 3.2% in the 12 months ending June 30, 2026.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Connecticut?
Restaurant and hotel workers who regularly get tips can be paid a cash wage of $6.38 an hour, and bartenders $8.23 an hour. Tips have to make up the rest of the full minimum wage.
How far back can I claim unpaid wages in Connecticut?
The Department of Labor investigates unpaid wages for the previous two years, counted from the date you submit your complaint. A lawsuit for wages generally must be filed within two years, though filing a complaint with the Labor Commissioner pauses that clock.