Oregon’s minimum wages rise 70 cents an hour July 1 to $15.45/hour in Portland area, $14.20, $13.20 elsewhere

Deschutes County's increases to $14.20; Crook, Jefferson counties $13.20)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon's labor commissioner announced Friday that Oregon's three levels of minimum wage will each go up 70 cents an hour on July 1, based on increases in consumer prices measured over the past year

Pursuant to ORS 653.025(5), Commissioner Christina Stephenson determined that the minimum wage rates in Oregon will increase on July 1, 2023.  Raising the minimum wage can increase worker productivity, reduce absenteeism, and strengthen recruitment and retention of employees, which is a critical component of addressing Oregon’s workforce shortage, she said.   

The minimum wage rates will increase as follows:  

·         Standard Minimum Wage (including Deschutes County): $14.20 per hour (from $13.50) 

·         Portland Metro Minimum Wage: $15.45 per hour (from $14.75) 

·         Non-Urban Minimum Wage (including Crook and Jefferson counties): $13.20 per hour  (from $12.50)

The law requires an adjustment to the minimum wage to be calculated no later than April 30 of each year, based upon any increase in the U.S. City Average Consumer Price Index (CPI) for All Urban Consumers for All Items from March of the preceding year to March of the year in which the calculation is made.  This amount is required to be rounded to the nearest five cents. 

The current standard minimum wage rate is $13.50.  Based on an increase in the CPI of 5.0% from March 2022 to March 2023, the calculation used for determining the standard minimum wage rate as of July 1, 2023 is as follows:  

$13.50 X .05 = $0.675, rounded to $0.70.  

The Portland metro minimum wage is $1.25 more than the standard minimum wage, and the non-urban minimum wage is $1.00 less than the standard minimum wage.  

Oregon employers are required to post minimum wage posters.  Downloadable posters reflecting the new minimum wage rates as of July 1, 2023 will be available on BOLI’s website free of charge by June 1. 

"We expect this increase in earnings of low-wage workers to positively impact consumer spending and boost the economy," the labor commissioner's announcement said.