Arizona's minimum wage will get an inflation-fueled boost to $12.80 an hour in 2022, putting it above the level in most other states but still lagging the minimum pay levels offered by many local businesses, especially around the Phoenix metro area.
The new statewide wage level will apply for 2022 starting Jan. 1 and was announced by the Industrial Commission of Arizona in September. It represents an increase from the current minimum of $12.15 an hour for 2021.
The higher wage for 2022, as mandated by state voters in 2016, reflects a 5.3% rise in the U.S. Consumer Price Index over the 12 months through August 2021. The inflation rate has pushed higher since then. It was 6.8% over the 12 months through November.
With the increase, Arizona will have the fifth-highest minimum wage among the states in 2022, trailing only California ($15 an hour), Massachusetts ($14.25), New York ($13.20) and New Jersey ($13), according to a list compiled by the Labor Law Center. Minimum wages will increase in 26 states in 2022, the group said.
On the other hand, the federal minimum wage, which hasn't budged since 2009, will stay at $7.25 an hour (or $2.13 for employees who regularly receive tips). It remains in effect in 19 states, mainly in the South and Midwest but also including Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.
In addition, some cities have their own minimums set above the levels in their states. Examples cited by the Labor Law Center include New York City...
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