Arizona minimum wage going up to $12.80 an hour on Jan. 1

Arizona’s minimum wage is set to increase from $12.15 an hour to $12.80 an hour on Jan. 1 under a law approved by the state’s voters in 2016. This year’s increase is the second since the phased-in wage increases hit $12 an hour and automatic increases based on cost of living increases kicked in. The state’ minimum wage was just $8.05 an hour when groups that advocates for low-income workers collected enough signatures to put a ballot measure boosting the lowest wages on the ballot. The measure was opposed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and business groups but passed by a wide margin.