Steve Hughes reports for the Times Union that the minimum wage will rise north of Westchester County on Jan. 1 from $12.50 an hour to $13.20 an hour. The state Department of Labor announced the 70-cents-an-hour raises on Sept. 27 as part of a gradual phase-in of a $15 minimum wage that was passed as part of a state budget plan in 2016. State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said many companies that employ low-wage workers have already been raising their wages to compete for workers in a time with many businesses competing for workers. The state's Division of the Budget reported that one million jobs lost during the pandemic were in the three industries with the most minimum wage workers: retail trade, health care, and leisure and hospitality. Read more about this story in the Times Union.