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Minimum Wage Updates – Denver Increases to $17.29 Per Hour on Jan. 1, 2023

Posted by: Karen Booher on December 6th, 2022

At the end of each year, we share information on what is happening with minimum wages locally, around the country, and also at our company – J. Kent Staffing.

Denver and Colorado’s 2023 Minimum Wage – $17.29 and $13.65 Per Hour, Respectively

The minimum wage for employees (not including tipped employees) in Denver will be more than 27% higher than in the rest of the state. On January 1, 2023, Denver’s minimum wage increases from $15.87 to $17.29 per hour (a 9% increase). The rest of the state will increase from $12.56 in 2022 to $13.65 per hour as of January 1, 2023 (almost a 9% increase). Both Denver’s and Colorado’s 2023 increases are based on the Consumer Price Index.

J. Kent Staffing’s 2023 Minimum Wage – $18.00 Per Hour (up 12.5% from $16.00 Per Hour in 2022)

At J. Kent Staffing, we are committed to providing high-quality jobs and competitive wages to all our employees. Each year, we announce our own minimum wage. This is not law, but rather a bar that we set where our entry-level positions – Clerical, Reception, Customer Service, Warehouse/Light Labor, Data Entry, Event Staff – are guaranteed to pay that as a minimum (and most often, more).

So, whether we are putting our temporary associates to work at client offices in Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Lakewood, Highlands Ranch, or any other city in Colorado, they will be earning a minimum of $18.00 per hour in 2023.

Here is What’s Happening in All 50 states (+Washington D.C.)

States with minimum wages lower than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour are listed below at that level, which is required for all employers who are subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

State 

2022 Minimum Wage 

2023 Minimum Wage 

Alabama $7.25 $7.25
Alaska $10.34 $10.85
Arizona $12.80 $13.85
Arkansas $11.00 $11.00
California $15.00 $15.50
Colorado $12.56 $13.65
Connecticut $14.00 $14.00
Delaware $10.50 $11.75
Wash., D.C. $16.10 TBD
Florida $11.00 $11.00
Georgia $7.25 $7.25
Hawaii $12.00 TBD
Idaho $7.25 $7.25
Illinois $12.00 $13.00
Indiana $7.25 $7.25
Iowa $7.25 $7.25
Kansas $7.25 $7.25
Kentucky $7.25 $7.25
Louisiana $7.25 $7.25
Maine $12.75 $13.80
Maryland $12.50 $13.25
Massachusetts $14.25 $15.00
Michigan $9.87 $10.10
Minnesota $10.33 $10.59*
Mississippi $7.25 $7.25
Missouri $11.15 $12.00
Montana $9.20 $9.95
Nebraska $9.00 $10.50
Nevada $10.50** $11.25** (as of July 1, 2023)
New Hampshire $7.25 $7.25
New Jersey $13.00 $14.13
New Mexico $11.50 $12.00
New York $13.20 $14.20***
North Carolina $7.25 $7.25
North Dakota $7.25 $7.25
Ohio $9.30 $10.10
Oklahoma $7.25 $7.25
Oregon $13.50**** TBD
Pennsylvania $7.25 $7.25
Rhode Island $12.25 $13.00
South Carolina $7.25 $7.25
South Dakota $9.95 $10.80
Tennessee $7.25 $7.25
Texas $7.25 $7.25
Utah $7.25 $7.25
Vermont $12.55 $13.18
Virginia $11.00 $12.00
Washington $14.49 $15.74
West Virginia $8.75 $8.75
Wisconsin $7.25 $7.25
Wyoming $7.25 $7.25

*$10.59 rate is for large employers in Minnesota (with annual gross revenues of at least $500,000). Small employers have a minimum wage of $8.42 per hour.

**Listed rate is for Nevada employees who are not offered health insurance. Those who are offered health insurance must receive a minimum of $1.00 less than the listed rate.

***Listed rate is for most employers in New York State. The minimum wage for New York City is $15.00. The minimum wage for Long Island and Westchester Counties is $15.00.

****Listed rate is the current standard state wage of $13.50 per hour, effective July 1, 2022. The minimum wage in the Portland Metro area is $14.75 per hour and $12.50 in nonurban counties in Oregon.

Federal, State, and Municipality Minimum Wages

The federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 per hour since 2009. States can pass their own laws to make their minimum wage higher, equal to, or lower than the federal law, but they can’t make other changes that overrule the federal law, for instance, who is exempt or how many hours constitutes a work week. In states where the minimum wage is lower than the federal minimum, employers who are subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the $7.25 federal minimum wage. Municipalities can also have a minimum wage that differs from their state.


Sources:

  1. https://www.laborlawcenter.com/state-minimum-wage-rates
  2. https://www.paycor.com/resource-center/articles/minimum-wage-by-state/

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