Minimum Wage

[Nebulous]

The minimum wage is too low.
If we adjust for inflation, is it the lowest it has ever been, relatively speaking.

That being said, local markets tend to better dictate "minimum wage."
For example, the only way labor can be found in this market, is to offer semi-competitive wages.

Was just looking at this:

Minimum Wage by State and 2023 Changes

Nearly half of the U.S. states increased minimum wages for hourly workers in 2022 and more than a dozen will provide additional increases going into 2023.

www.paycor.com

State Minimum Wage Rates 2022 vs. 2023​

State	2022 Minimum Wage	2023 Minimum Wage (eff. 1/1/23 except as noted)
Alabama	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
Alaska	$10.34
Arizona	$12.80
Arkansas	$11.00
California	$15.00 for businesses with 26+ employees	$15.00 minimum will apply to all employers Annual increases begin 1/1/23
Colorado	$12.56
Connecticut	$14.00	$15.00 effective 6/1/23
Delaware	$10.50	$11.75
Washington D.C.	$15.20
Florida	$11.00	$12.00 effective 9/30/23
Georgia	$5.15 (Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the $7.25 Federal minimum wage)
Hawaii	$10.10
Idaho	$7.25
Illinois	$12.00	$13.00
Indiana	$7.25
Iowa	$7.25
Kansas	$7.25
Kentucky	$7.25
Louisiana	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
Maine	$12.75
Maryland	$12.50
Massachusetts	$14.25	$15.00
Michigan	$9.87	$10.10
Minnesota	$10.33	Annual increases begin 1/1/23
Mississippi	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
Missouri	$11.15	$12.00
Montana	$9.20	Annual increases begin 1/1/23
Nebraska	$9.00
Nevada	$9.50*	$11.25
New Hampshire	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
New Jersey	$13.00	$14.00 (Businesses with fewer than 6 employees and seasonal employees pay $12.70)
New Mexico	$11.50	$12.00
New York	$13.20 (fast food– $15.00)
North Carolina	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
North Dakota	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
Ohio	$9.30	Annual increases begin 1/1/23
Oklahoma	$7.25
Oregon	$13.50	Annual increases begin 7/1/23
Pennsylvania	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
Rhode Island	$12.25	$13.00
South Carolina	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
South Dakota	$9.95
Tennessee	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
Texas	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
Utah	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
Vermont	$12.55	Annual increases begin 1/1/23
Virginia	$11.00	$12.00
Washington	$14.49
West Virginia	$8.75
Wisconsin	$7.25 (Federal, no state minimum)
Wyoming	$5.15 (Employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the $7.25 Federal minimum wage)

Its crazy how low it is in some places! But then again you can rent a place for a fraction of what rent costs where I live. Or buy a house for insanely cheap compared to California prices.

Our minimum wage is $21.20 whereas living wage is $23.65. That is NZD of course haha.

If that was in USD, that would pretty good!

 

[Malevolent]

We must tread a fine line between raising it too much and enforcing liveable wages.

States can vary wildly, but so do their respective costs of living.
The federal rate, frankly, should be the initial value + inflation index adjustment.
A small town in rural Wyoming does NOT require the same cost of living as a tech central in California.
This begs the question as to if a minimum wage is truly useful at all.

My opinion?
Minimum wages should be calculated per county, in every state.
Although we're supposed to be free and part of a free market, I personally believe in government regulation.
If the government didn't regulate anything, we would be worse off than we already are.
Look at what happened in Texas with their power grid in the winter as a prime example of deregulated utility.
I could drag on and on, but this is just my opinion.

 

[Scarlet Rose]

We must tread a fine line between raising it too much and enforcing liveable wages.

States can vary wildly, but so do their respective costs of living.
The federal rate, frankly, should be the initial value + inflation index adjustment.
A small town in rural Wyoming does NOT require the same cost of living as a tech central in California.
This begs the question as to if a minimum wage is truly useful at all.

My opinion?
Minimum wages should be calculated per county, in every state.
Although we're supposed to be free and part of a free market, I personally believe in government regulation.
If the government didn't regulate anything, we would be worse off than we already are.
Look at what happened in Texas with their power grid in the winter as a prime example of deregulated utility.
I could drag on and on, but this is just my opinion.

To be fair to me, the country I live in is way smaller than the US. We are roughly the size of Colorado in terms of landmass. So the variance in our living costs is not as high as I imagine it would be over there. So while I do stand by my stance of pushing for living wages, I also recognize that for somewhere like the US it doesn't make sense to do it on a federal level.

If that was in USD, that would pretty good!

It doesn't seem like much to me. But I don't have a family or dependents so I have never had to budget my money in such a way. I am amazed by people that can raise a family on that income level though!

 

[alv4]

The minimum wage here is $1 USD per hour.

Of course everything is cheaper than the US (Except technology and things that are imported).

And with the inflation this year... ugh

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

We must tread a fine line between raising it too much and enforcing liveable wages.

Or fix it by getting government out of what they declare as a live able wage which increases inflation.

States can vary wildly, but so do their respective costs of living.

No government should be allowed to decide on the value and deal two people agree upon so they can make a wage.

The federal rate, frankly, should be the initial value + inflation index adjustment.

Should not even be a discussion they are allowed to have.

A small town in rural Wyoming does NOT require the same cost of living as a tech central in California.

Partly Because of government inflation and government playing with what they deem as a fair wage

This begs the question as to if a minimum wage is truly useful at all.

It’s not and Switzerland proves it with no minimum wage.

My opinion?
Minimum wages should be calculated per county, in every state.
Although we're supposed to be free and part of a free market, I personally believe in government regulation.

I’m mostly a libertarian and very minimum regulation is needed and everyone would be better off but government and it’s ability to grow.

If the government didn't regulate anything, we would be worse off than we already are.

Very limited, otherwise yes.

Look at what happened in Texas with their power grid in the winter as a prime example of deregulated utility.

Had nothing to do with lack of regulation. This was not being prepared for something that very rarely happens in Texas or the south and the federal government controlling it would have made zero difference.

I could drag on and on, but this is just my opinion.

 

[Malevolent]

I'm unsure as to where your thoughts on "government inflation" are coming from.
There is NO major inflation other than corporate greed right now and it disgusts me.
Unfortunately, due to extreme corporate greed, from the same corporations that consistently take government handouts, we're in a runaway ship now.

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

I'm unsure as to where your thoughts on "government inflation" are coming from.
There is NO major inflation other than corporate greed right now and it disgusts me.

Every single time the government spends money or controls private market on how much something should be inflation goes up. Every time no exceptions!

Unfortunately, due to extreme corporate greed,

Greed is everywhere at all levels of life. I’m more concerned with corporate cronyism with government that has no fear of every day people and makes them immune of threats to spend money elsewhere but government has made corporations the only game in town. Far, far, far more concerning.

from the same corporations that consistently take government handouts,

Exactly!

we're in a runaway ship now.

Pretty much!

 

[Nebulous]

The minimum wage here is $1 USD per hour.

How do people survive?