Mayor Melvin Carter Signs $15 Minimum Wage Ordinance Into Law
Signing Follows Unanimous Saint Paul City Council Vote
SAINT PAUL – Today, Mayor Melvin Carter signed a citywide $15 minimum wage ordinance for Saint Paul into law. The signing followed a unanimous vote from the Saint Paul City Council to adopt the ordinance.
“Today's vote is the culmination of years of incredible leadership from Council Members, workers, business leaders and advocates, all working together to provide a much-needed raise to over 56,000 Saint Paul workers,” said Mayor Melvin Carter. “I couldn't be more honored to sign this ordinance into law.”
“Over the past year, we have worked in partnership with folks who live and work across Saint Paul,” said City Council President Amy Brendmoen. “The community-driven process has resulted in a policy that is the right choice for our city. Together we move Saint Paul forward by increasing the minimum wage.”
“Today we are impacting people’s lives in the truest sense – we are putting into law a true living wage ordinance – ensuring all people in our community can work with dignity and make a fair and livable wage,” said Councilmember Chris Tolbert. “It’s taken a lot of work, conversations and engagement to get here, and this will have a positive outcome for the people in our community.”
About the $15 Minimum Wage Ordinance
The City of Saint Paul Minimum Wage Ordinance sets the minimum wage at $15.00 per hour, indexed to inflation. The phase-in period will begin in 2020. The phase-in period length for employers will be dependent on business size, as determined by numbers of employees.
The City of Saint Paul and macro businesses will lead the citywide phase-in with its own employees starting on January 1, 2020, and reaching a $15 minimum wage starting July 1, 2022. The City of Saint Paul $15 minimum wage ordinance does not contain an adjustment for tipped employees.
The complete ordinance language can be found at https://stpaul.legistar.com/.
About the development of Saint Paul’s $15 minimum wage ordinance
To support the development of Saint Paul’s $15 minimum wage ordinance, the Citizens League conducted a two-phase process that resulted in a set of recommendations to the City. This process started in the fall of 2017, and was completed in August 2018.
To support the development of Saint Paul’s $15 minimum wage ordinance, the Citizens League conducted a two-phase process that resulted in a set of recommendations to the City. This process started in the fall of 2017, and was completed in August 2018.
Throughout 2018, the Mayor’s Office, City Council, and City Departments engaged the hospitality sector, manufacturing industry, small business owners, full-service restaurant owners, servers, advocates, union workers, low wage workers, and others across the city about a minimum wage ordinance for Saint Paul.
In the summer of 2018, the City held four Minimum Wage Public Input and Discussion Sessions. These sessions engaged more than 300 Saint Paul business owners, workers, and residents and collected community input regarding a citywide minimum wage increase. The Mayor’s Office also convened two roundtable conversations with tip-credit and anti-tip penalty advocates and groups.
In 2019, the City of Saint Paul will commence its implementation activities as it prepares to support the 2020 phase-in period.