A last-ditch effort to block a wage hike in Minneapolis was thwarted by a judge on Monday, putting the market on track for a $15 hourly minimum for small employers by 2024.
The climb to that level will start Jan. 1 within the city, with the minimum wage rising to $10 an hour for businesses with at least 100 employees. The hike rises to $10.25 for smaller employers and to $11.25 for bigger companies on July 1, with increases slated annually on that date. Businesses with at least 100 staffers will reach the $15 threshold by July 1, 2022.
Restaurants’ focus now turns to St. Paul, which is expected to follow its sister city in setting a graduated climb to $15 an hour. The City Council there is also eyeing a discontinuation of a tip credit.
The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce had asked Judge Susan Burke for an injunction to block implementation of a higher wage on Jan. 1, arguing that a Chamber lawsuit challenging the $15 wage’s legality was still pending. The judge declined on the grounds that the lawsuit’s chances of success were slim.
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