Minimum wage for state workers to go to $15 an hour under governor's plan

MADISON - Gov. Tony Evers is trying to raise the minimum wage for state employees to $15 an hour.

Late Friday, the Democratic governor's administration sought approval for a compensation plan that would provide 2% raises for tens of thousands of government workers in January. They would get another 2% raise in January 2021. 

The raises would cost $84 million over two years, according to the administration. State taxpayers would be responsible for about $40 million of that cost, with the rest coming from other sources, such as aid from the federal government. 

Lawmakers approved the rough outlines of the pay schedule this summer as part of the budget, but a legislative committee must sign off on the detailed plan the administration released Friday.

Under Evers' plan, the lowest paid workers would make at least $15 an hour by January 2021. The new wage floor would take effect earlier for University of Wisconsin-Madison employees — by the spring of 2020. 

"The increase in our minimum wage is a key part of our strategy for helping the university recruit and retain high-quality workers," UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said in a statement. "Employees who will benefit from this increase make important contributions to our teaching, research and outreach missions."

While most employees will get 2% raises during each of the next two years, others will get larger ones.

For instance, Republican lawmakers put provisions in the budget to increase pay for correctional officers by $2.35 an hour during the next two years. For the lowest-paid officers, the raises will provide an increase of 14% over two years, boosting their wages from $16.65 to $19 an hour. 

You can find out who your legislators are and how to contact them here: https://maps.legis.wisconsin.gov/

Contact Patrick Marley at patrick.marley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @patrickdmarley.