Minimum Wage Goes Up Friday in Oregon

Thousands of workers in Oregon will wake up Friday with life being just a little bit easier.

The minimum wage in the state - already the second highest the United States - will raise to $9.75 from $9.25.

That fifty cents per hour increase will provides hundreds of dollars more per year for thousands of workers.

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The fifty cent increase goes into effect for those counties in the Portland Metro area (Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington).

Minimum wage workers in the state's other counties will see their pay upped by .25 per hour.

It's part of a multi-step process that will raise the minimum wage for Portland Metro workers to $14.75 by July 1, 2022.

The decision to raise the minimum wage came after a long battle in the state legislature with several small businesses - particularly in rural areas - saying it costs jobs.

In the end, the legislature came up with a compromise, creating the step increase and the different rates for the Portland Metro and other areas.

When Governor Brown signed the law enacting the increase last month, she praised the different groups for coming together to forge a compromise.

"Oregon has not only avoided a number of potentially problematic ballot measures, we have taken a very smart approach in a way that makes sense for workers and for businesses no matter where in Oregon they are," she said.

President Obama said that Congress should follow Oregon's footsteps.

"They need to act, and finally give America a raise. And until they do, I'll continue to encourage states, cities, counties and companies to act on their own to support hardworking families," Obama said in a statement.