HELENA – The state Labor Department says Montana’s minimum wage will increase by 30 cents an hour to $7.65 beginning on Jan. 1.
State law requires an annual wage adjustment based on changes in inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index. The adjustment is to be calculated no later than Sept. 30 of each year.
On Saturday, Labor Commissioner Keith Kelly announced the increase in the Consumer Price Index was 3.8 percent from August 2010 to August 2010, leading to the same percentage increase in the current minimum wage of $7.35 and rounded to the nearest five cents.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.