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Minimum wage in the state of Colorado will decline by four cents an hour starting in 2010, due to a decrease in inflation observed early in 2009. The minimum is currently $7.28/hour and will fall to $7.24. However, the Federal minimum, which recently increased to $7.25/hour, will apply over the state minimum for most employers. For tipped workers, the minimum will go from $4.26/hour to $4.22, still well above the Federal minimum. Policy researcher Rich Jones says that the cut will cost a full-time employee $62.40 in income in one year, which sits heavy on minimum wage employees even if it doesn't seem like much. He hopes that employers will not choose to lower wages simply because they can.