Judge Rules Minneapolis Minimum Wage Ordinance is Legit

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Hennepin District Court judge has ruled that a new minimum wage ordinance in Minneapolis is valid, ending the first major legal challenge of the plan since it was passed in June.

The Star Tribune reports that Graco Inc. was the only remaining plaintiff in the suit filed in November in an attempt to block the $15 minimum wage.

Judge Susan Burke said in a ruling filed Tuesday that the state's minimum wage law doesn't prevent municipalities from passing wage ordinances to meet the needs of their communities.

In addition to denying Graco's request for an injunction, Burke ordered the Minneapolis industrial fluids and coating manufacturer to pay the city's legal fees.

Businesses with 100 or more employees have until July 1, 2022, to phase in the minimum wage.