Heads up, Saint Paul business owners and workers: those paychecks are about to see some mandatory growth. The city’s businesses received notice that come next year, they’ll need to adjust their minimum wage scales. In a public announcement that graced the inboxes and mailboxes of local businesses, Saint Paul delineated the minimum wage increases slated for 2026.
Not everyone’s payday will feel the change at the same time, though. Those working for macro and large businesses, meaning those bustling hubs with over 101 employees, should mark January 1, 2026, on their calendars. That’s when the minimum wage is bumping up to $16.37 an hour, according to an official notice on Saint Paul’s government website. But, small (6-100 employees) and micro businesses (5 employees or less) get a grace period until July 1, when their rates climb to $16.37 and $14.25, respectively.
This wage structure isn’t pulled out of thin air; it’s all part of a meticulously planned ordinance. A unanimous vote by the Saint Paul City Council on November 14, 2018, gave birth to the Minimum Wage Ordinance, Chapter 244, which was then signed into law by Mayor Melvin Carter. It’s a nod to the number crunch that employers must count all hands on deck — full-time, part-time, temporary, or shared with other employers — when determining their business size and corresponding minimum wage rate.
The ordinance isn’t just about the dollars per hour; It comes backed with a team for education and enforcement, too. The Labor Standards Division within the Saint Paul Department of Human Rights & Equal Economic Opportunity (HREEO) not only puts out the word but also keeps an eye on compliance. Since the start of 2025, they’ve wrapped up 28 cases involving wage discrepancies, securing over $178,000 in back wages and recovering 1,232 hours of Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) for 640 employees in process, as reported on the city’s website. Workers and employers seeking guidance or having wage-related concerns are encouraged to reach out to the HREEO office.
