Montana is one of 29 states where the minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. | File photo
Montana is one of 29 states where the minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. | File photo
On Friday, Jan. 1, the minimum wage in Montana will increase slightly to $8.75 an hour, Gov. Steve Bullock said.
The current minimum wage is $8.65 and it adjusted for inflation each year as a result of a ballot initiative in 2006.
The Consumer Price Index increased by just 1.31% in the one-year period ending in August 2020.
"By tying the minimum wage to inflation, we can ensure Montanans earning the minimum wage see a modest increase and have the same buying power, instead of falling further behind,” Bullock said in a statement.
Only 2% of the workforce earns less than $8.75 per hour in 2020, the governor said. Montana is one of 29 states with a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, Bullock said.
Many workers who earn minimum wage are front-line employees at the greatest risk of exposure to COVID-19, the governor said.
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