Business Pleas Fail to Delay Virus-Era Minimum Wage Increases

Covid-19 hasn’t slowed the march toward a $15 an hour minimum wage in several states and cities, as business groups mostly strike out at persuading public officials to postpone scheduled increases.

Scheduled increases took effect in recent months in more than 20 states and cities from Los Angeles to Connecticut, even as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases surged in parts of the U.S. and businesses navigated partial closures, new safety protocols, and customer capacity limits. More than a dozen other states are set to raise their minimum wages for the start of 2021.

The higher labor costs hit employers ...