$20/Hour? MN Minimum Wage Debated in Legislature

ST. PAUL (WJON News) - Minnesota’s minimum wage would go up on August 1st, under a bill making its way through the Minnesota Legislature.

The bill (SF 4019) would set the minimum wage at $15.00/hour statewide beginning August 1st, and then increase by $1 per hour per year until it reaches $20 per hour. After 2028, the minimum wage would be adjusted every year to reflect the cost of living.

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The bill also eliminates the distinction between large and small employers in the state and does away with exemptions for employees working in hotels, resorts, and other lodging, and employees working under the age of 18.

Currently, the state’s minimum wage is $10.85 per hour for large employers and $8.85 for small employers.

ARE WORKERS DUE FOR A PAY BUMP?

Tuesday, several workers testified in favor of the bill in the Minnesota Senate Labor Committee. They claimed the recent increase in the cost of living has eclipsed the wages they earn at their full-time jobs.

Business leaders say labor costs are already a challenge for businesses, and an increase in the minimum wage would exasperate that problem, endangering small businesses statewide.

Senator Zaynab Mohamed (DFL – Minneapolis) sponsored the bill. While he knows the bill is not perfect, he says it’s time to consider if $10.85 per hour is enough to live in Minnesota.

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