The Phoenix City Council voted to raise the minimum wage for year-round part-time employees to $15 per hour.
During last week’s council meeting, Mayor Kate Gallego said the increase is meaningful for library and parks employees.
Nearly 500 will get raises along with 28 convention center workers, six fire department employees, six housing department employees, two water department employees and one police department employee.
“We know that these jobs are very important to them and we hope that we are providing a fair wage,” Gallego said. “It will be an investment for the city, improve retention and help make sure we are taking care of employees.”
The increase is expected to cost $1,119,598 and take effect by the end of the year. In April, Phoenix increased its full-time minimum wage to $15 per hour. That change was estimated to cost just over half a million annually.
In 2016, Arizona voters approved a statewide minimum wage hike. The current rate is $11 per hour and will increase to $12 on Jan. 1, 2020.
