Good Question: When will all of NY pay $15 an hour?

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC)— We spend a lot of time talking about what’s going on here locally with the economy. Businesses are struggling to hire new workers and doing whatever they can to be more attractive to new hires.

One viewer thinks this might help. Linda asked News10NBC’s Brennan Somers: Is upstate New York going to raise the minimum wage for all workers to $15.00 an hour for 2022?

It’s already $15 downstate for New York City employees. That’s why Linda specifically points out "upstate." The rate is also $15 for all local fast-food workers. that change began this summer.

But what about everyone else? How long will that take?

Annual increases kick in at the end of each December. The current rate is $12.50 an hour.

What’s the pay bump expected at the end of this year?

Somers sent the NYS Department of Labor that question.

A spokesperson says

"Increases for the rest of the state will continue until the rate reaches $15 minimum wage (and $10 tipped wage). The annual increases will be published by the commissioner of labor on or before Oct. 1. They will be based on percentage increases determined by the director of the division of the budget, based on economic indices, including the consumer price index."

But here’s the thing, $15/hr is not likely next year. Just look at the trends going back to 2016.

The first few years had set increases:

• $9.70
• $10.40
• $11.10
• $11.80

Then, the labor commissioner raised it to $12.50 for this year. Those are 70 cent increases each time. So if that trend holds again heading into 2022– that’s $13.20 an hour next year.

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