With the change of 2022 to 2023 comes a new Colorado minimum wage. The minimum wage is the lowest legal wage that an employer can pay their employees. This kind of limit is set in place to prevent workers from being exploited.

Last year, in 2022, the minimum wage was $12.56 an hour. Now, the new minimum wage is $13.65 an hour., which is an 8.68% increase.  

“No more than $3.02 per hour in tip income may be used to offset the minimum wage of tipped employees,” said the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. This translates to the tipped employee minimum wage being $10.63 in Colorado. This adheres to those who regularly receive tips, such as waiters.

As of January 2022, the U.S. national minimum wage was $7.25 per hour.

Colorado’s Amendment 70 was made effective on Jan 1, 2017. Minimum wage in Colorado “increased to $9.30 per hour and was increased annually by $0.90 each January 1 until it reached $12 per hour effective January 2020”. It has since been adjusted as the cost of living increases.

Teens entering or already in the Colorado workforce (as well as adults) are protected by Section 15 of Article 18, of the Colorado Constitution, and employers should be consistently following the new minimum wage regulations.