Eastern Oregon minimum wage rises to $13.70
By Joe Hathaway on Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
EASTERN OREGON — As of July 1, the minimum wage in Eastern Oregon has increased by 50 cents, now set at $13.70 per hour. This adjustment is part of Oregon’s three-tiered minimum wage system, which the state Legislature established in 2016. These changes are based on the Consumer Price Index and are enforced by the state Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI).
The new rates for minimum wage across Oregon are as follows:
Eastern Oregon and 18 counties mostly east of the Cascades: The minimum wage has risen from $13.20 to $13.70 per hour. This non-urban minimum wage applies to counties such as Baker, Coos, Crook, Curry, Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, and Wheeler.
Standard minimum wage counties, including those mostly west of the Cascades: The minimum wage has increased from $14.20 to $14.70 per hour. This includes Benton, Clatsop, Columbia, Deschutes, Hood River, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk, Tillamook, Wasco, Yamhill, and parts of Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties outside the urban growth boundary.
Portland metro area counties (Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas): The minimum wage has gone up from $15.45 to $15.95 per hour.
The wage increases were announced in April by the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI). The bureau calculates an adjustment of the standard minimum wage rate by April 30 of every year.
According to BOLI, “Indexing the minimum wage to inflation aims to ensure the wages of Oregon workers keep pace with the economic realities they face. Wage increases, particularly for those at the bottom of the income spectrum, have far-reaching benefits. They increase community-level economic activity and support local businesses. Moreover, wage increases help to reduce pay inequalities for women and people of color, fostering overall economic growth.”
The 50-cent increase to Oregon’s minimum wage comes as the federal minimum wage in 2024 remains at $7.25 per hour.
