Minnesota Ups Minimum Wage to $9/Hour

Minnesota is tied with the fifth highest state minimum wage with California, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Minnesota’s minimum wage will increase again next year by $0.50/hour until it starts going up with inflation in 2018. Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development officials say it’d take an average Minnesota family, two parents one kid, to make $14.83/hour working 68 hours a week to make a livable wage. And moving the minimum wage up $8.50 closes the gap between minimum wage and livable wage.

Bodin says North Central Minnesota’s median wage of $14.37/hour is close to the cost of living wage of $14.70/hour. And the Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce President says there’s more beneficial ways to get our lowest paid workers out of those minimum wage jobs.

There are a few exceptions for workers receiving the $9/hour minimum wage. Small employers can start their workers at $7.75/hour and training wages for employees 18-19 can start at $7.25.