Some Silicon Valley cities bumping minimum wage for new year

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (KGO) -- The new year promises to be a happy one for some Bay Area workers making minimum wage.

Starting January 1, two cities in Silicon Valley Will offer one of the highest wages in the nation at $15 an hour.

"I'll be looking for a job for second semester, $15 an hour definitely sounds good to me, said Mountain View student, Naomi Zimmermann.

Cooks and servers at Bezawada Indian restaurant in Sunnyvale are pleased.

"New year more money, we are very happy," said restaurant employee Gurmeed Singh.

Mountain View and Sunnyvale made it a joint effort by raising their minimum wages from $13.50 to $15.

"The country is doing well and so is Silicon Valley. But, that hasn't translated into worker wages. We are the most expensive region of the country, so we had to act," said Sunnyvale Citycouncilman Jim Griffith.

Gumba's Italian restaurant owner Tony Valle is happy for his workers, but says he has no choice but to pass the added cost on to his customers by raising prices.

"We will be raising prices in the next two weeks, it's necessary to make sure we are around for the next 20 years," said Valle.

Outside the Bay Area, workers earning minimum wage in 18 states across the country can expect a raise in 2018.

According to Labor Law Center, the following states are set to raise their minimum wage at various points in the new year:

• Arizona: $10.50
• California: $11.00
• Colorado: $10.20
• Florida: $8.25
• Hawaii: $10.10
• Maine: $10.00
• Maryland: $10.10
• Massachusetts: $11.00
• Michigan: $9.25
• Minnesota: $9.65
• Missouri: $7.85
• Montana: $8.30
• New Jersey: $8.60
• New York: $10.40
• Ohio: $8.30
• Rhode Island: $10.10
• Vermont: $10.50
• Washington: $11.50

Workers in certain professions and companies of certain sizes are exempted from minimum wage guidelines in some states.

The federal minimum wage remains unchanged at $7.25. It was last raised on July 24, 2009.