Minimum Wage Efforts On The Rise

Amid discussion of increased wage disparity in the U.S., many states have acted to increase minimum wage, and the Senate may seek to do the same for the federal minimum later this year. In the Nov. 5 election, New Jersey voted to increase its minimum wage by $1 to $8.25, and tie future increases to the consumer price index. New Jersey joins California, which recently enacted a bill to ramp up its minimum wage to $10 per hour.  And though votes are still being counted, a suburb of Seattle may have approved raising its minimum wage to $15 per hour. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has indicated he may bring a bill to raise the federal minimum wage – currently $7.25 per hour – to vote before Thanksgiving.