J. Kent's Blog - Articles for Employers and Job Seekers

Minimum Wage Increases in Almost Half of the Country for 2022; Denver Increases to $15.87 Per Hour

Posted by: Karen Booher on December 12th, 2021

At the end of each year, we share information on what is happening with minimum wages in all 50 states, plus Washington D.C.

While some states are on a schedule for annual increases to eventually reach $15.00 per hour, more than 20 states still follow the federal minimum. And, although the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour has not budged since 2009, nearly half of the states will increase minimum wages for hourly workers in 2022.

Colorado and Denver’s 2022 Minimum Wage – $12.56 and $15.87 Per Hour, Respectively

Statewide minimum wages apply in areas that are not governed by a higher local minimum wage ordinance. The minimum wage for employees (not including tipped employees) in Denver will be more than 26% higher than in the rest of the state. On January 1, 2022, Denver’s minimum wage increases from $14.77 to $15.87 per hour (almost a 7 ½ % increase). The rest of the state will increase from $12.32 in 2021 to $12.56 per hour as of January 1, 2022 (almost a 2% increase).

J. Kent Staffing’s 2022 Minimum Wage – $16.00 Per Hour (up from $15.00 Per Hour in 2021)

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, Receptionists, 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 employees to work at client offices in Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Lakewood, Centennial, or any other city in Colorado, they will be earning a minimum of $16.00 per hour in 2022.

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

Highlighted states represent those with an increase in the minimum wage from 2021 to 2022 

State 

2021 Minimum Wage 

2022 Minimum Wage 

Alabama $7.25 (Federal-no state minimum) $7.25 (Federal-no state minimum)
Alaska $10.34 $10.34
Arizona  $12.15  $12.80 
Arkansas $11.00 $11.00
California $14.00 $15.00* 
Colorado  $12.32  $12.56 
Connecticut $13.00 $14.00 (effective 7/1/22) 
Delaware $9.25 $10.50
Wash., D.C. $15.20 $15.20
Florida  $10.00  $11.00 (effective 9/30/22) 
Georgia $5.15 Employers subject to FLSA must pay the $7.25 Federal min. wage) $5.15 (Employers subject to the FLSA must pay the $7.25 Federal min. wage)
Hawaii $10.10 $10.10
Idaho $7.25 $7.25
Illinois  $11.00  $12.00 
Indiana $7.25 $7.25
Iowa $7.25 $7.25
Kansas $7.25 $7.25
Kentucky $7.25 $7.25
Louisiana $7.25 (Federal-no state minimum) $7.25 (Federal-no state minimum)
Maine  $12.15  $12.75 
Maryland  $11.75  $12.50** 
Massachusetts  $13.50  $14.25 
Michigan  $9.65 $9.87
Minnesota  $10.08  $10.33*** 
Mississippi $7.25 (Federal-no state minimum) $7.25 (Federal-no state minimum)
Missouri  $10.30  $11.15 
Montana  $8.75  $9.20 
Nebraska $9.00 $9.00
Nevada  $8.75  $9.50 (effective 7/1/22)**** 
New Hampshire $7.25 $7.25
New Jersey  $12.00  $13.00***** 
New Mexico  $10.50  $11.50 
New York  $12.50  $13.20 (effective 7/1/22)****** 
North Carolina $7.25 $7.25
North Dakota $7.25 $7.25
Ohio  $8.80  $9.30 
Oklahoma $7.25 $7.25
Oregon  $12.75  $13.50 (effective 7/1/22)*******  
Pennsylvania $7.25 $7.25
Rhode Island $11.50 $12.25 
South Carolina $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) $7.25
South Dakota  $9.45  $9.95 
Tennessee $7.25 (Federal, no state minimum) $7.25
Texas $7.25 $7.25
Utah $7.25 $7.25
Vermont  $11.75  $12.55 
Virginia  $9.50  $11.00 
Washington $13.69  $14.49 
West Virginia $8.75 $8.75
Wisconsin $7.25 $7.25
Wyoming $5.15 (Employers subject to Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the Federal minimum wage.) $5.15 (Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the $7.25 Federal minimum wage)

 

*$15.00 rate is for California employers with 26 or more employees. Employers in California with 25 or fewer employees have a minimum wage of $14.00 per hour. There are also local minimum wage rules.

**$12.50 applies to Maryland employers with 15 or more employees. Employers in Maryland with 14 or fewer employees must pay a minimum wage of $12.20 per hour.

***$10.33 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.

****$9.50 is for Nevada employees who are offered health insurance. Nevada employees who are not offered health insurance must receive $10.50 per hour.

*****$13.00 applies to New Jersey employers who are non-seasonal and with 6 or more employees. Seasonal employees and those working for businesses that employ 5 or fewer employees must receive $11.90 per hour.

******In New York, the rate for Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties will increase to $15.00 per hour.

*******Minimum wage for the Portland Metro area is $14.00 per hour and $12.50 for nonurban counties in Oregon.


Source:

https://www.paycor.com/resource-center/minimum-wage-by-state

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