Seattle Approves Highest Minimum Wage Increase in the Country

On June 2^nd, Seattle’s city council unanimously approved an increase to the city’s minimum wage that would bring the wage to $15 an hour. This wage is the highest minimum wage in the nation by far. Washington has the nation’s highest state-level minimum, which is $9.32. The federal minimum wage is only $7.25. Seattle’s wage increase will take place over the next several years, based on a scale that considers the size of and benefits offered by an employer. The increase will apply first to large businesses in 2017, and then spread to all businesses by 2021. Many states and cities are following the relatively new trend of raising minimum wage. Most recently, Michigan raised the hourly minimum wage to $9.25, and many states have passed or are considering proposals to adopt a $10.10 minimum wage.