Looks like Seattle, Washington started a national trend. This is due to the latest reports of Massachusetts law makers passing the final approval to raise the states minimum wage from $8 to $11 by the year 2017. While many people have opposing views on how states should or shouldn’t raise their minimum wage, one thing is for certain; minimum wage increase is happening! Check out the detailed brief via CNN Money below!
[CNN Money Excerpt]
–“While Massachusetts is taking the lead among states, the city of Seattle, which recently approved an increase to $15 an hour, still will offer the highest minimum anywhere in the country.
President Obama, who supports a nationwide increase to $10.10, applauded the move, saying Massachusetts “joins a growing coalition of states, cities and counties that are doing (their) part to make sure no American working full-time has to support a family in poverty.”
The Massachusetts bill also raised the subminimum base wage for tipped workers to $3.75 from $2.63 currently. While advocates for a higher minimum wage applaud Massachusetts move, they say the increase for tipped workers is subpar.
Compared to other states, which have set higher wage bases for tipped workers, “Massachusetts is a real outlier,” said Paul Sonn, general counsel for the National Employment Law Project. If a tipped worker doesn’t earn the equivalent of the full minimum wage, after counting both the subminimum base plus tips, employers are supposed to make up the difference. But, Sonn said, “there’ s a lot of room for evasion.”
Related: What’s the minimum wage in your state?
Raising the minimum wage has become a bit of a trend at the state level. Michiganlawmakers also recently approved a phased-in increase to $9.25 by 2018.
Vermont approved a bill last month that raises its minimum wage to $10.50 by 2018 as well, as did Maryland lawmakers, who chose to raise that state’s minimum to $10.10.
Lawmakers in Minnesota, Delaware, West Virginia, Connecticut, New York, Californiaand Hawaii have also approved minimum wage hikes this year or last.”–
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