Denver’s Minimum Wage to Increase January 1

Denver’s minimum wage will surpass US$15 an hour next year, when it increases from $14.77 to $15.85 on January 1, The Denver Gazette reports.

The increase is the result of an ordinance passed by the Denver City Council in November 2019, when the city’s minimum wage was $11.10. As the cost of living has continued to rise rapidly in the city and unemployment rates increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, the wage increase will be a welcome relief to tens of thousands of workers.

“At a time when workers are doing everything they can to get by, this raise is a little bit of extra relief to help them support themselves and their families,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said. “Our economy needs to work for everyone, and for our working families, this pay raise is a big deal, especially during our recovery from the pandemic.”

The 2022 increase will be the last of the city’s steep wage increases. Under the ordinance, Denver’s minimum wage will increase more gradually on January 1 of each year according to the Consumer Price Index.