As residents look forward to Friday and a new year, business owners across Flagstaff and the state are preparing for another increase in the minimum wage.
The local law that voters approved in both 2016 and 2018 will set the minimum wage in Flagstaff to $15 an hour for most employees on Jan. 1. For tipped employees, the hourly wage will increase to $12. Meanwhile, the Arizona minimum wage will increase from $12 to $12.15.
The wage increases will affect nearly every employer in Flagstaff, other than Northern Arizona University, which is only required to operate under the federal minimum wage.
According to a spokesperson for the City of Flagstaff, including the cost of benefits, the city will be paying out an additional $119,794 in 2021 to city staff making the minimum wage because of the increase.