The chief of one of the largest Native American tribes in the country has announced that the tribe is raising its minimum wage.
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker signed an executive order last week raising the minimum wage for tribal employees to $9.50 over the next two years.
The tribe's current minimum wage is $9 per hour. Some workers will see the increase starting Oct. 1, while others will see a staggered increase over the fiscal year.
The Cherokee Nation says the change will affect nearly 400 government employees. It won't impact Cherokee Nation Businesses.
Baker says the wage increase will help more Oklahomans put food on the table and allow for discretionary spending, which he says boosts the local economy.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25.
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