As in 20 other states, Alaska's minimum wage will be going up in 2015. Yet, unlike in most states, where the raises take effect Jan. 1, Alaska's lowest-paid workers won't see the $1-per-hour bump in their paychecks to $8.75 until the end of February.
In 2014, Alaska voters passed a ballot measure that raises the state's minimum wage $1 in 2015 and 2016. However, because the 2014 Alaska legislative session went into extra days, the initiative – set to appear on the August primary ballot – was moved to the November general election. It passed easily, with almost 70 percent of voters' support, but ballot initiatives cannot go into effect until 90 days after an election is certified. That's why the state's minimum wage increase won't begin until Feb. 24.
According to former state labor commissioner Ed Flanagan, a supporter of the minimum wage increase, at least 16,000 Alaskans are currently working for minimum wage. Flanagan said the increase will also affect 8,000 to 10,000 Alaska workers whose salaries are calculated from the minimum wage
The state labor department said the 2016 increase to $9.75 an hour will take effect Jan. 1 that year. After that, all increases in the minimum wage will be tied to inflation.