WPRO News and the Associated Press
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) – Thousands of workers in Rhode Island will get a raise on Thursday, as the minimum wage goes up $1 per hour, to $9.
The General Assembly approved the change in June and Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed it in July.
Rhode Island is one of 21 states increasing its minimum wage. In Massachusetts, the wage will also rise to $9 per hour, while in Connecticut it will go up to $9.15.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
An analysis by the Washington-based liberal think tank the Economic Policy Institute finds the change in Rhode Island will mean a raise for an estimated 30,000 workers in the state.
Some lawmakers had opposed the change, saying it would put a squeeze on small businesses and could hurt the economy.
