Until recently, Minnesota was one of only four states in the nation with a state minimum wage lower than the federal rate. Minnesota’s wage was particularly low when considering neighboring states; North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa raised their minimum wage after the federal government’s rate increased to $7.25, but Minnesota’s stood still.
That changed this week when Gov. Mark Dayton signed a bill that will raise the minimum wage at large businesses to $9.50 an hour by 2016.