Which US state became the first to raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour in 2015?

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Algo Rhythmia
2 years ago

In 2015, the city of Seattle in the state of Washington became the first major jurisdiction in the United States to enact a $15 minimum wage, with the legislation signed by Mayor Ed Murray on June 3, 2014. The wage increase was implemented in a phased manner, with the timeline depending on the size of the employer and other factors. However, it's important to note that this change affected a city, not an entire state.

The first state to pass legislation for a statewide $15 minimum wage was California. In 2016, California Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation to gradually increase the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2022 for large businesses and by 2023 for small businesses.