Starting on New Year’s Eve day, Rosa Rivera will make $15 an hour at her McDonald’s job in Manhattan, doubling what she earned just five years ago at the same location.
The milestone comes after she and fellow workers advocated tirelessly – sometimes going on strike – for a higher minimum wage since 2012 in the city and state.
For Rivera, a 53-year-old Bronx resident who lives with her adult son, that means she no longer needs to prioritize which bills to pay and which to skip to get by.
“Before it was difficult. $7.50 wasn’t enough,” Rivera said through a Spanish interpreter. “The difference with $15 is I will be able to pay my rent and bills on time. I can pay for transportation easily, and I may have a little bit more to save.”
Besides New York, workers in up to 21 other states and the District of Columbia will receive higher minimum wages next year, according to a National Employment Law Project report given exclusively to USA TODAY. About 17 million workers will benefit from the 2019 wage increases, the nonprofit estimates.
The increases are either due to policies designed to help lower-income workers or regularly scheduled cost-of-living adjustments.
“(Cost-of-living adjustments) are small increases, but at least workers won’t be falling behind inflation in the coming years” says Yannet Lathrop, researcher and policy analyst at NELP.
States aren’t the only ones tackling minimum wage increases. Thirty-eight cities and counties also are scheduled to raise their minimum wages, according to the NELP report. Next up is a wage higher than $15 in more expensive states and cities.
“In some parts of the country, $15 is not a living wage, so folks need to think about a higher wage,” Lathrop said. “Hawaii is already thinking about a $17 minimum wage bill.”
2019 minimum wage increases by state
As many as 22 states and the District of Columbia could see increases to their minimum wages in 2019. The state figures represent the new minimum wages next year.
Here’s where minimum wages are going up in 2019.
Alaska
Current minimum wage: $9.84
2019 minimum wage: $9.89
Effective date: Jan. 1, 2019
Reason: Cost-of-living adjustment
Arizona
Current minimum wage: $10.50
2019 minimum wage: $11
Effective date: Jan. 1, 2019
Reason: Third step toward approved $12 minimum wage by 2020
Arkansas
Current minimum wage: $8.50
2019 minimum wage: $9.25
Effective date: Jan. 1, 2019
Reason: First step toward approved $11 minimum wage by 2021
California
Current minimum wage: $11 for large employers; $10.50 for small employers
2019 minimum wage: $12 for large employers; $11 for small employers
Effective date: Jan. 1, 2019
Reason: Third step toward approved $15 minimum wage by 2022-23
Colorado
Current minimum wage: $10.20
2019 minimum wage: $11.10
Effective date: Jan. 1, 2019
Reason: Third step toward approved $12 minimum wage by 2020
Delaware
Current minimum wage: $8.25
2019 minimum wage: $8.75 and then another to $9.25
Effective date: First increase in January; second increase in October
Reason: First and last step toward approved $9.25 minimum wage by 2019
District of Columbia
Current minimum wage: $13.25
2019 minimum wage: $14
Effective date: July 1, 2019
Reason: Fourth step toward approved $15 minimum wage by 2020
Florida
Current minimum wage: $8.25
2019 minimum wage: $8.46
Effective date: Jan. 1, 2019
Reason: Cost-of-living adjustment
Maine
Current minimum wage: $10
2019 minimum wage: $11
Effective date: Jan. 1, 2019
Reason: Third step toward approved $12 minimum wage by 2020
Massachusetts
Current minimum wage: $11
2019 minimum wage: $12
Effective date: Jan. 1, 2019
Reason: First step toward approved $15 minimum wage by 2023
Michigan
Current minimum wage: $9.25
2019 minimum wage: $9.48
Effective date: 90 days after the Michigan legislature adjourns, approximately late March or early April
Reason: First step toward approved $12 minimum wage by 2030
Minnesota
Current minimum wage: $9.65 for large employers; $7.87 for small employers
2019 minimum wage: $9.86 for large employers; $8.04 for small employers
Effective date: Jan. 1, 2019
Reason: Cost-of-living adjustment
Missouri
Current minimum wage: $7.85
2019 minimum wage: $8.60
Effective date: Jan. 1, 2019
Reason: First step toward approved $12 minimum wage by 2023
Montana
Current minimum wage: $8.30
2019 minimum wage: $8.50
Effective date: Jan. 1, 2019
Reason: Cost-of-living adjustment….Read More>>>
Source:- usatoday