Thousands of Idaho workers are getting ready for a pay raise. The federal minimum wage is expected to increase 70 cents per hour on Thursday to $6.55 per hour.

It’s the second in a three-phase hike that will increase the minimum federal pay rate to $7.25 per hour. The Idaho Legislature passed a bill that requires the state’s minimum wage to mirror that of federal levels.

The Idaho Department of Labor anticipates the higher wage will boost paychecks for nearly 22,000 jobs across the state, and that this year’s increase will cost Idaho employers about $24.6 million over the next 12 months.

More than one-third of the jobs affected by the salary hike are in the food service sector and another 14 percent in retail.

The increase was approved by Congress last year and was the first hike in minimum wage in more than a decade. (AP)