With the start of the new year comes many changes, including a new law that will raise Michigan's minimum wage.

Starting on Jan. 1, 2026, the minimum wage will go up to $13.73 an hour – up more than a dollar from the current rate of $12.48.

"We are excited that it is going up. We're sad that it's going up as slowly as it is," said Tameka Ramsey-Brown, Michigan state director of One Fair Wage.

This comes after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 8 back in February, which overrides a court ruling that would have eventually phased out the state's tipped minimum wage.

The goal is to get the rate up to $15 an hour by January 2027, with tipped workers also seeing their wages go up by 40%.

"$15 is not enough, and we're going to keep fighting to actually raise the wage closer to a living wage for all," said Saru Jayaraman, founder and president of One Fair Wage.

One advocacy group fighting for this change is One Fair Wage.

Ramsey-Brown says the increase is welcome, but there is still much more work to be done.

"Anybody who is not being paid a living wage will be negatively impacted. This is for tip workers, but this is for all workers, and they're getting a little bit of hope," said Ramsey-Brown.

Going forward, any new increases after the state hits the $15 threshold will be made year by year, based on inflation.