Living wage will increase in Santa Fe

SANTA FE – Based on a total 12-month increase of 5.11% in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Western region for urban wage earners and clerical workers by 2022, Santa Fe employees will see a living wage increase from $12.32 to $12.95 per hour effective March 1.

The City Council informed that all employers within the city of Santa Fe are required to pay all workers at least the living wage.

In 2007 Santa Fe decided to adjust the living wage with the annual cost of living to help ensure that workers’ incomes kept pace with inflation. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since 2009.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, the minimum wage is a fundamental labor standard intended to ensure a fair income for workers. As the cost of living rises, the wage in Santa Fe helps ensure that full-time workers are not living in poverty.

Santa Fe city employees earn a minimum wage of $15 per hour, the City Council reported. While the federal minimum wage for tipped workers is $2.13 per hour.

Under New Mexico law, the minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.80 per hour. The City’s Living Wage Ordinance does not set a minimum for these types of workers.

Source: MEXICONOW Staff