A minimum wage increase to $15 an hour for fast food workers has been approved by the New York Wage Board. At a meeting in New York City yesterday, the state wage board recommended the increase. The $15 per hour minimum would only apply to fast food chains that have more than 30 locations throughout New York state. Fast food restaurants in New York City need to comply with the change by 2018 — the rest of the state by 2021. The state will increase the wage by about a dollar every year until 2021:
($9.75 on Dec. 31, 2015
$10.75 on Dec. 31, 2016
$11.75 on Dec. 31, 2017
$12.75 on Dec. 31, 2018
$13.75 on Dec. 31, 2019
$14.50 on Dec. 31, 2020
$15 on July 1, 2021)