Washington state minimum wage moving up to $16.28 per hour

SEATTLE (AP) — Washington state’s minimum wage will increase 54 cents to $16.28 an hour next year. The Seattle Times reports the Washington Department of Labor and Industries made the announcement Friday. The 3.37% increase is a cost-of-living adjustment based on the federal Consumer Price Index. The state’s minimum wage of $15.74 an hour is the highest state-level minimum wage in the nation, according to state labor officials. Washington, D.C., has a $17 hourly minimum wage and cities including Seattle and San Francisco have a minimum wage of more than $18 per hour.