King County Raises Minimum Wage to $20.29-Highest in US

King County how has the highest minimum wage in the US.

The King County Council has voted to raise the wage-again

King County, instead of having county commissioners like most WA Counties, has a council, and they have again voted to raise the minimum wage.

The state wage is the highest of the US States, at $16.28, but trails Washington D.C. which is at $17.

According to Axios:

"The wage hike builds on a long history of minimum wage increases in Washington. The state's minimum wage went from $15.74 to $16.28 in January, a 3.4% increase."

The measure passed by a vote of 7-2. While the Council and certain civic groups are in favor of the raise, others are not. Business leaders say it will result in workers having hours cut, potential layoffs and hiring slowdowns as businesses attempt to work these cost increases into their budgets.

They say it will especially hurt smaller and medium-sized businesses. This wage only covers unincorporated areas of the county and does not cover the City of Seattle or other cities.