This Election Day (November 8th), South Dakota voters will decide ballot measure to establish a youth minimum wage. If the proposed law gets passed, an employer with employees under 18 years old will be required to pay them at least $7.50 per hour. The youth minimum wage will not be subject to the annual minimum wage adjustment for inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Employers will not be permitted to take any action to displace an employee, including a partial displacement through a reduction in hours, wages, or employment benefits, in order to hire an employee at the wage authorized in the proposed law.
Being a CPI state, the general South Dakota minimum wage rate may increase this January 1, 2017. The new rate will be announced October 15th. Make sure to check our website for more details regarding South Dakota’s minimum wage rates!