The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) announced it will increase its minimum wage to $15 per hour beginning January 1, 2022. M-NCPPC decided to implement the increase now, rather than follow the State of Maryland’s recommended incremental approach to increase rates of pay over the next four years to meet the goal of $15 per hour.

“M-NCPPC employees provide unprecedented service to our communities year-round and many of their families have been severely impacted by the pandemic,” said Elizabeth M. Hewlett, Chairman of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the Prince George’s County Planning Board. “Increasing the minimum wage now allows our employees to better provide for their families and show our support for all of their hard work.”

M-NCPPC is a chartered agency through the State of Maryland. The agency has geographic authority in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County. The new pay rates will impact 2,841 seasonal employees in Prince George’s Parks and Recreation Department and 287 in Montgomery Parks.

“The Commission is a great place to work, with excellent benefits and a sense of mission that attracts motivated employees,” said M-NCPPC Vice Chair Casey Anderson. “The increase in our minimum wage will help us recruit and retain top-quality people who will help us continue to deliver excellent service to our community.”

“The Commission is committed to quality of life for its employees by increasing the minimum wage,” says Director of the M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation Bill Tyler. “The dedicated employees in Parks and Recreation for Prince George’s County provide unparalleled programming and amenities and they deserve this,” Tyler concluded.

Local minimum wages already increased to $15 per hour on July 1, 2021, in Montgomery County. Prince George’s County is following the State of Maryland’s phased-in approach towards the goal of $15 per hour by 2025 for large employers (15 employees or more) and 2026 for small employers (l4 or fewer employees). The minimum wage in Maryland is $11.75 per hour.

“Increasing the minimum wage for our employees is the right thing to do,” said M-NCPPC, Montgomery Parks Director Mike Riley. “I am proud to be part of an organization that prioritizes improving the quality of life for all of its employees.”

On March 28, 2019, the Maryland General Assembly approved the $15 per hour minimum wage. Under the new legislation, businesses with at least 15 employees began paying workers a series of increases which started on January 1, 2020, and continue until 2025 to arrive at $15 per hour.

The Montgomery County Government announced that the county’s minimum wage will increase starting this Wednesday, July 1.  The increase is dependent on the number of employees that each company has:

• A small employer (10 or fewer employees) will be required to pay $13/hour
• A mid-size employer (50 or fewer employees) will be required to pay $13.25/hour
• A large employer (51 or more employees) will be required to pay $14/hour.

This is part of a yearly increase from a bill that was signed back in 2017– this bill states that an increase will occur every July 1 until minimum wage reaches $15 an hour in 2022.

For more information, see the county’s press release here: https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=25509

Featured photo courtesy of the Montgomery County Government website.