Starting on New Year’s Day, 20 U.S. states will raise the minimum wage by more than $1 an hour in some states. California, for example, raised the minimum wage from $13 to $14 an hour, ranking first in the United States, behind Washington, D.C. ‘s $15 minimum wage. In addition, New Mexico’s minimum wage will be raised from $9 to $10.50.
In response to the rising cost of living, 20 U.S. states raised the minimum wage on January 1 and three more will follow through by 2021.
Florida’s minimum wage, originally $8.56 an hour, will be raised in two phases, starting at $8.65 on New Year’s Day and rising to $10 on September 30, 2021.
With the adjusted minimum wage, California has the highest hourly wage in the nation at $14, followed by Washington at $13.69 and Massachusetts at $13.5.
In New York state, the wage adjustment hit the roads early On December 31, just before New Year’s Day, raising the hourly wage from $11.80 to $12.50. New York City’s minimum wage is $15.
In Minnesota, the increase was just eight points, from $10 to $10.08 for larger employers and $8.21 to $8.15 for smaller employers.
In Montana, the increase was only a dime, from $8.65 an hour to $8.75.
The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 an hour since 2009.
Low-income workers have been hardest hit economically by the COVID-19 epidemic. Ken Jacobs, director of the Center for Labor Research and Education at the University of California-Berkeley, analyzed that many low-wage workers in the service sector stayed on the job during the outbreak, many of them in positions with a high risk of infection.
“This wave of wage increases will be highly welcomed by low-wage workers, many of whose families have been affected by the epidemic and are struggling,” he said.
By raising the minimum wage, hourly pay in all 20 states in 2021 will be as follows: Alaska ($10.34), Arizona ($12.15), Arkansas ($11), California ($14), Colorado ($12.32), Florida ($8.65 for Phase 1, Phase 2 $10), Illinois ($11), Maine ($12.15), ($11.75), Maryland, Massachusetts, ($13.50), Minnesota ($10.08), Missouri ($10.3), Montana ($8.75), ($12) in New Jersey, new Mexico ($10.5), ($12.5) of New York, Ohio ($8.8) ($9.45), south Dakota, vermont ($11.75), Washington ($13.69).
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