New Year brings new minimum wage for South Dakota

 Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City
Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City (KOTA)
Published: Dec. 26, 2019 at 7:12 PM CST
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A new decade brings a record number of states increasing their minimum wage, including South Dakota.

"Every time we raise the minimum wage just a little bit, that helps a little bit, that helps a family do a little bit better," said Julie Schmitz Jensen, president of Visit Rapid City.

On January 1, 2020, South Dakota's minimum wage will rise 20 cents from $9.10 to $9.30 an hour.

For those working for tips, their wage will also increase by 10 cents from $4.55 to $4.65 an hour.

"We just have to embrace that this change comes, it's an annual, small increase, business owners are aware of it, they have it for their budgeting process, I think it's wise to go slow, and hopefully that will help them get better employees but I think it's better than some parts of America that are increasing it double," Schmitz Jensen said.

The state's minimum wage will be adjusted annually, increasing at the same rate as the cost of living.

"I personally just as a citizen of Rapid want people to have a living wage, I really do, we all do, it's going to help us in so many areas," Schmitz Jensen said.

Despite higher wage laws across the country, on the federal level the minimum wage hasn't changed from $7.25 in almost 10 years.