248,000 hourly workers in Minnesota make $9.50 or less

Published 8:22 am Tuesday, June 6, 2017

ST. PAUL — A new report from state labor officials shows that about 15 percent of hourly employees in Minnesota make the minimum wage of $9.50 an hour, or less.

The Department of Labor and Industry report shows there are about 1.6 million hourly workers in Minnesota and 31 percent work in restaurants, bars and other eating and drinking places. Thirty-eight percent of those workers get tips, overtime or commissions.

The analysis also shows 46 percent of minimum-wage workers are older than 24 and that women are more likely than men to be paid the minimum wage.

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Minnesota raised its minimum wage to $9.50 an hour last year for employers with annual revenues of at least $500,000. It’s $7.75 for employers with less than $500,000 in annual business.