(Host) Vermonters who earn minimum wage start seeing higher paychecks as of Sunday.
Starting January first, the state’s minimum wage increased 31 cents, from $8.15 an hour to $8.46.
Labor Commissioner Annie Noonan says the rate increase is tied to the consumer price index, which helps determine the rate of inflation.
(Noonan) It’s important because it allows employees to keep pace with the cost of living, and that’s one of the reasons that the legislature, when they had to find a measure against which to tie this tied it to the consumer price index.
(Host) Vermont is one of eight states that increased the minimum wage on New Year’s Day. It now has the third highest wage in the country.