Mass. Lawmakers Approve Minimum Wage Hike
BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts House has approved a bill that would increase the state's hourly minimum wage from $8 to $10.50 over the next two years.
The legislation, which passed on a 123-24 vote, would also overhaul the state's unemployment insurance system and provide basic work standards and protections for nannies and other domestic workers.
The Senate has already approved separate minimum wage and unemployment insurance bills.
The Senate bill would increase the wage to $11 per hour over three years and link automatic increases to the rate of inflation.
The House bill doesn't link the minimum wage to changes in inflation.
Both bills would also increase the minimum wage for tipped workers.
There's also a ballot question that would increase the minimum wage to $10.50 over two years and index future increases to inflation.
Massachusetts last increased the wage in 2008.
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