South Dakota Plans Minimum Wage Increase to $10.85 Amid Inflation

Several regions are implementing or proposing increases to their minimum wage rates in response to rising living costs. South Dakota will raise its minimum wage from $11.50 to $11.85 and the tipped minimum wage from $5.75 to $5.93 per hour starting January 1, 2026, as part of an inflation-linked adjustment law. Florida's minimum wage rose to $14 per hour on October 1, marking a series of annual $1 increases toward a $15 target by 2026; this has caused local businesses, especially restaurants, to struggle due to higher labor costs amid economic challenges. In Kazakhstan, lawmakers have proposed increasing the minimum wage from 85,000 to 110,000 tenge, but the government has not allocated funds for this increase in the 2026 budget. On the Isle of Man, a proposed 9.9% minimum wage hike to £13.46 per hour is under consideration despite business concerns about potential closures and job losses, with workers emphasizing the need due to rising living expenses. These developments reflect ongoing tensions between wage growth to meet cost-of-living increases and the economic pressures faced by employers.