Mecklenburg County has just raised its minimum wage to $25.53 per hour for government employees – up 27% from its previous rate of $20 per hour. County commissioners approved the increase as part of an effort to provide employees with a more livable wage.
For a full-time employee working 40 hours each week, $25.53 per hour equals roughly $53,100 annually before taxes.
Officials say the latest increase places Mecklenburg well above many other counties.
Mecklenburg County began aggressively increasing its minimum wage several years ago. In 2019, the county raised minimum pay for full-time employees to $15 per hour.
Since then, county leaders have continued increasing the wage as living costs and competition for workers have grown.
The increase only applies to full-time Mecklenburg County government employees and does not change the minimum wage for private-sector workers.
