January 1 meant more than just remembering to put 2016 instead of 2015 when writing down dates. For a lot of companies, it meant that payroll went up. In 13 states and 10 cities and counties across the nation, the minimum wage was increased, in some cases by nearly as much as $3 per hour.
This is a situation that repossession agents have spent months preparing themselves for.
Most states kept the increased to a $1 or less per hour, while five of the cities and counties that set a new floor for how much someone can make raised the minimum wage by at least $1 per hour.
Here is a breakdown of the different parts of the country that instituted higher minimum wages as of Jan. 1, 2015 6.
STATES
- Alaska: $9.75, up $1
- Arkansas: $8, up $0.50
- California: $10, up $1
- Connecticut: $9.60, $0.45
- Hawaii: $8.50, up $0.75
- Maryland: $8.75, up $0.75
- Massachusetts: $10, up $1
- Michigan: $8.50, $0.35
- Nebraska: $9, up $1
- New York: $9, up $0.25
- Rhode Island: $9.60, up $0.60
- Vermont: $9.60, up $0.45
- West Virginia: $8.75, up $0.75
*10 states — Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota and Washington — will see small cost-of-living increases in their minimum wages.
CITIES, COUNTIES
- Buffalo, NY (city workers): $9.75, up $1
- Chicago, IL: $10.50, up $0.50
- Mountain View, Calif.: $11, up $0.70
- Missoula, Mont. (city workers): $12, up $2.95
- New York, NY (fast-food workers, state workers): $10.50, up $1.75; (elsewhere in NY state $9.75, up $1)
- Los Angeles County, Calif.: $10.50, up $1.50
- Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, Md.: $10.75, up $1.20
- Portland, Me.: $10.10, up $2.60
- San Francisco: $13, up $0.75
- Seattle: $13 (for large businesses), up $2
