Employees across New York state working minimum wage jobs will be receiving a raise on December 31. Upstate wages will increase 70 cents from $11.10 an hour to $11.80 an hour.

"In the space of four years, you're basically up 30 percent," said E.J. McMahon, founder and research director for the Empire Center for Public Policy. "That's a pretty big increase in the minimum wage in parts of the state where the medium wage was below what the minimum wage now is."

The minimum wage started to gradually go up in late 2016. McMahon says this increase has resulted in employees working less. He says the average hours worked has gone down.

"We're now about an hour and a half less than the average work week in New York state statewide than the national average," McMahon said.

In New York City, the minimum wage will hit $15 for all employees on New Year's Eve. Long Island and Westchester County will jump a dollar to $13 an hour. 

Tipped service workers will also see raises across the state this year.

"We still have a long way to go, because wages don't buy as much as they used to," said Blue Carreker, the statewide campaign manager for Citizen Action. 

She says the increase has brought low-income workers a little closer to economic stability. Carreker says it has raised the ability to pay bills, rent, and buy food. 

"They deserve to get a fair wage for their work and be able to support themselves and their families," Carreker said. 

Upstate, Long Island, and Westchester County will all see another boost in late 2020. Long Island and Westchester County will hit $14 next year, and $15 at the end of 2021.

Upstate will reach $12.50 next year. Any future annual minimum wage increases outside of NYC, Long Island, and Westchester County, will be determined by the state in 2021.

"I think the state through has to do a much more seriously intensive job at looking at this from all angles before deciding what they're going to do after next year," McMahon said.