SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — The Santa Cruz City Council tentatively approved the nation's most generous minimum wage, $11 an hour with health benefits or $12 an hour without.
The "living-wage" ordinance would cover full-time workers employed by the seaside city or a for-profit company that has a contract with the city.
About 60 municipalities in the United States have living-wage ordinances. Minneapolis requires its large contractors to pay employees at least $8.25 an hour. Baltimore requires contractors to pay employees at least $6.50 an hour.
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While Santa Cruz's minimum is more generous, the ordinance would be unlikely to have a great impact because local wages have skyrocketed with the growth of the Silicon Valley.