Minnesota's minimum wage hits $9 an hour

Minnesota's minimum wage will increase to $9 an hour today. It's the second of three increases as a result of a law passed in 2014.

The change means 288,000 low-wage workers will see a $1 an hour increase in their pay. Gov. Dayton said the wage hike will help low-wage workers get out of poverty.

"We have hard-working people and I want them to be able to earn the kind of incomes in the workplace that is going to mean they can improve the quality of lives for their families and further achieve the American dream," the governor said.

The minimum wage will increase another 50 cents next August, and will then increase automatically with inflation after that.

Critics of the increase worry businesses will either slow hiring or cut jobs because of the wage hike.

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