Alaska minimum wage rises to $8.75 an hour Tuesday

JUNEAU (AP) — Alaska’s minimum wage will rise to $8.75 an hour Tuesday, giving a pay increase to thousands of workers.

Voters in November overwhelmingly approved raising the minimum wage from $7.75 per hour to $8.75 per hour, effective Jan. 1. Because the state constitution calls for ballot measures to take effect 90 days after election results are certified, the raise doesn’t take effect until Tuesday.

A second increase, to $9.75 per hour, is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1 under the initiative. The minimum wage is to be adjusted for inflation annually after that.

Before Tuesday’s increase, a...