Nearly two dozen states will increase their minimum wage, or legally mandated base pay, on Wednesday, Jan. 1. Thirteen states have a minimum wage linked to inflation, state legislatures approved six others and voters said yes to ballot measures in two states. That brings the total amount of states raising the minimum wage to 21.
The Economic Policy Institute estimates the increases will affect 9 million Americans. Nearly 70% of the workers live in households below the poverty line. One-third of the employees live in a state with at least a $15 per hour minimum.
Those states include Illinois at $15, New Jersey at $15.49, New York at $15.50 per hour, California at $16.50 per hour and Washington state, increasing to $16.66 per hour.
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Cities and municipalities within a state can set a higher minimum wage rate for people who live in areas with a higher cost of living.
Examples include Chicago, New York City and Long Island, which all have pay rates that exceed their state’s base rate.
Five states, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee don’t have state minimum wage laws. Instead, those states use the federal minimum wage.
In those cases, it’s important to note that the federal minimum wage remains at $7.25 per hour. It has been at that level since 2009.
[Craig]
COME WEDNESDAY, NEARLY TWO DOZEN STATES WILL INCREASE THEIR MINIMUM WAGE OR LEGALLY MANDATED BASE PAY. THIRTEEN STATES HAVE A MINIMUM LINKED TO INFLATION, STATE LEGISLATURES APPROVED SIX OTHERS AND VOTERS SAID YES TO BALLOT MEASURES IN TWO STATES, TO BRING THE TOTAL TO 21 CHANGES ON JANUARY 1ST, 2025.
THE ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE ESTIMATES THE INCREASES WILL AFFECT
NINE-MILLION AMERICANS.
ONE-THIRD OF THE WORKERS LIVE IN A STATE THAT HAS AT LEAST A $15-DOLLAR-PER-HOUR MINIMUM, THAT INCLUDES – ILLINOIS, RIGHT AT $15, NEW JERSEY AT $15.49 AN HOUR, NEW YORK : $15.50 AN HOUR AND CALIFORNIA : $16.50 AN HOUR AND WASHINGTON STATE NOW $16.66 AN HOUR.
THE EPI ALSO SAYS NEARLY 70% OF WORKERS EFFECTED, LIVE IN HOUSEHOLDS, MAKING EITHER BELOW THE POVERTY LINE OR TWICE THE POVERTY LINE. .
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN A STATE CAN SET A GREATER MINIMUM WAGE RATE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN AREAS WITH A HIGHER COST OF LIVING. FOR INSTANCE, THE CITY OF CHICAGO HAS A MINIMUM THAT IS SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS..
NEW YORK CITY, LONG ISLAND AND WESTCHESTER NEW YORK HAVE PAY RATES THAT ALL EXCEED THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
FIVE STATES : ALABAMA, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, SOUTH CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE DO NOT HAVE STATE MINIMUM WAGE LAWS. IN THOSE CASES, ITS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE, REMAINS AT $7.25 AN HOUR AND IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY SINCE 2009. FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP
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