Minimum wage earners will see a 10¢ increase per hour this year.  The increase is because in 2002 voters approved tying the minimum wage to inflation.   Workers will now get $8.40 an hour. The federal wage is $7.25 an hour.   Policy Analyst Anne Thompson is with the national employment law project. Oregon is going to be among 17 states above the federal level. It’s part of a growing and tide of states that acknowledge federal level not enough. Oregon has always been a leader in minimum wage policy. Founder of the Deschutes Brewery, Gary Fish thinks the mandatory increase hurts business. “Every time we are forced to give a raise it makes it harder for us to give a rise to those who don't get tips. I mean everything has a trade off.” Fish says the mandatory increase makes it more difficult to get pay raises to non minimum wage earners.