Denver Minimum Wage Rises In 2021

As of January 1, 2021, Denver entered the second year of its phased wage hikes.

Business owners must now pay workers at least $14.77 an hour. The previously instated wage hike came at a rough time for the economy due to the coronavirus pandemic. City officials could not have predicted that the way of life and business would have changed so drastically by the start of 2021.

Mayor Michael Hancock and City Councilmember Robin Kniech issued a joint statement last year saying they were considering delaying the rate hike because of the hardships local businesses continue to face.

In the end, they decided to continue with the scheduled increase in wages.

"This was not an easy decision, but as our economy recovers- and we know it will- we don't want to leave behind our minimum wage workers, who are often frontline workers in the pandemic and disproportionately women and people of color," stated Mayor Hancock and Kniech.

By 2022, the baseline wage in Denver will reach $15.87. The following year the minimum wage will be fixed to the consumer price index.

City officials hope the increase in paychecks will lead to a boost in the economy.

"Putting additional dollars into the hands of workers also provides an economic stimulus by increasing their ability to spend."

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