Oregon’s minimum wage will increase in Salem, Eugene and many areas of the state to $13.50 starting July 1, the latest in a line of minimum wage increases set by a 2016 law.

The current minimum wage in Salem, Eugene and metropolitan areas of northwestern Oregon is $12.75.

The minimum wage in Portland and Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties goes up to $14.75 from $14, and in rural counties it goes up to $12.50 from $12.

“While we do not yet know how many jobs will earn the minimum wage next month, we do know about 5% of all jobs in Oregon earned the minimum wage after the last increase in July of 2021,” said Bob Uhlenkott, director of research for the Oregon Employment Department.

The standard minimum wage in Oregon has increased from $9.25 in 2016, when a law was passed that gave yearly increases in the state’s minimum wage.

Starting in 2023, the minimum wage will be adjusted based on the Consumer Price Index. The wage will be rounded to the nearest nickel. The minimum wage in the Portland area will continue to be $1.25 more than in other areas like Salem and Eugene.

The unemployment rate in Oregon dropped to 3.6% for May, the lowest rate since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was 3.3% in March 2020.

Uhlenkott said the state has regained 90% of jobs lost in the early days of the pandemic, compared to 96% nationwide.

Oregon has 1,944,000 employed in May 2022, now more than the 1,938,000 employed in February 2020.

“This means there are more people...

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