10 states to boost minimum wage  Rhode Island to raise minimum
wage by 35 cents  Author: By Melanie Hicken Published On: Dec 31
2012 05:32:21 AM EST   Updated On: Dec 31 2012 05:51:15 AM EST
United States map  Nearly 1 million minimum-wage workers in 10
states will get a pay boost come New Year's Day.  Workers in
Rhode Island will see their paychecks grow the most -- by an
average of $510 a year for the average worker, according to the
National Employment Law Project, a nonprofit advocacy group. The
state enacted a law in June raising its minimum wage 35 cents to
$7.75 an hour.  In nine other states -- Arizona, Colorado,
Florida, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont and Washington
-- the minimum wage will jump between 10 and 15 cents an hour,
translating to an extra $190 to $410 per year on average,
according to NELP. The increases in these states are the result
of state "indexing" laws that require automatic annual
adjustments to keep pace with rising living costs.  "If you
don't do this, the lowest wage