No one happy with minimum wage regulations at public workshop

CARSON CITY – No one is happy with Nevada’s minimum wage regulations.

Or at least that was the overwhelming sentiment at today’s public workshop on the regulations, hosted by State Labor Commissioner Thoran Towler.

“I didn’t hear anybody say ‘Leave it alone,’" Thorland said at the meeting’s end, referring to the regulations adopted by prior commissioners seven years ago.

Currently, the state minimum wage is $8.25 an hour for workers who don’t have health coverage from their employers and $7.25 an hour for those who do.

Workers at the public meeting said they are being shortchanged. Employers said the rules are outdated and need to be clarified.

Las Vegas attorney Bradley Schrager, who has sued the labor commissioner on behalf of employees, dominated the meeting, charging that the law is not being followed in determining who should be paid which minimum wage.

He said there are tens of thousands of workers who should be getting $8.25 an hour instead of $7.25. There is no enforcement for violations of the regulation, he said.

James Nelson of the Nevada Employers Association said the law is “confusing” and “needs to be clarified.” The regulations are unclear regarding coverage of dependents, he said.

Mike Schilling, who works in the casino industry, said the law should be made clear on how it affects workers in the gambling halls who receive tips.

A worker who agrees to insurance coverage by his or her employer can be required to pay up to ten percent of their income towards the policy. Should the ten percent also be applied to the amount the workers receives in tips?

Schrager said the ten percent should only be applied to the salary paid to the worker and not based on tip income.

One woman representing a casino in Sparks suggested there only be one minimum wage, rather than two levels. But Towler said that provision is in the Nevada Constitution and he can’t change it.

Towler agreed changes need to be made but said it will require additional public hearings on amendments to the regulations which were initially approved by the Legislative Commission. He set Aug. 29 as the deadline for submitting written suggestions and said there would be more public workshops on any changes.

Voters approved a constitutional amendment on the minimum wage in 2006, tying it to the federal level.

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