Maryland workers are ahead of the minimum-wage curve ? for now.

With a Free State-mandated minimum wage of $6.15, Maryland was unaffected by the nationwide increase of 70 cents Tuesday. Now, the federal minimum wage sits at $5.85, with another 70 cent increase set for July 24, 2008, before the final bar is set at $7.25 an hour on the same date in 2009.