Contact:
Erin Musgrave, 530-864-7014, erin@erinmusgravecommunications.com
Business leaders available to speak about why they support minimum wage hikes in advance of numerous increases happening across the country at the New Year
Dec. 14, 2016 – Nineteen states will be raising their minimum wage to start the new year because of ballot measures and legislation passed in 2016 and previous years. This will boost consumer spending, lower employee turnover, and increase productivity and customer satisfaction for myriad businesses—providing a welcome boost to local economies.
Business leaders across the country who back raising the minimum wage because of the many economic benefits are speaking out in support of the increases they believe will help their businesses thrive.
Read below for a list of scheduled increases for Dec. 31, 2016 and Jan. 1, 2017. Business owners in states raising their minimum wage are available for comment through the New Year:
- Arizona increases to $10 on Jan. 1, 2017, with future increases to $12 by 2020 and indexed for annual cost of living increases starting in 2021
- Arkansas increases to $8.50 on Jan. 1, 2017
- California increases to $10.50 on Jan. 1, 2017 with future increases to $15 by 2022. Small businesses with 25 employees or fewer will have an extra year to comply with increases, reaching $15 by 2023, and indexed for annual cost of living increases.
- Colorado increases to $9.30 on Jan. 1, 2017, with future increases to $12 by 2020 and indexed starting in 2021
- Connecticut increases to $10.10 on Jan. 1, 2017
- Hawaii increases to $9.25 on Jan. 1, 2017, with an increase to $10.10 in 2018
- Maine increases to $9 on Jan. 1, 2017, with future increases to $12 by 2020 and indexed starting in 2021
- Massachusetts increases to $11 on Jan. 1, 2017
- Michigan increases to $8.90 on Jan. 1, 2017, with an increase to $9.25 in 2018
- New York
- New York City increases to $11 on Dec. 31, 2016, $13 in 2017 and $15 in 2018 for businesses with 11 employees or more; it increases to $10.50 on Dec. 31, 2016, $12 in 2017, $13.50 in 2018 and $15 in 2019 for businesses with 10 employees or fewer
- Long Island and Westchester increase to $10 on Dec. 31, 2016, with future increases of $1 a year until reaching $15 in 2021
- The rest of New York State increases to $9.70 on Dec. 31, 2016, with future increases to $10.40 in 2017, $11.10 in 2018, $11.80 in 2019 and $12.50 in 2020. Annual increases starting in 2021 will bring the rest of New York to $15 on a schedule to be determined based on cost of living and other indices.
- Vermont increases to $10 on Jan. 1, 2017, with increase to $10.50 in 2018 and indexed starting in 2019
- Washington state increases to $11 on Jan. 1, 2017, with future increases to $13.50 by 2020 and indexed starting in 2021
States with Indexing where annual Cost of Living Adjustments will take effect Jan. 1, 2017 include:
- Alaska increases to $9.80
- Florida increases to $8.10
- Missouri increases to $7.70
- Montana increases to $8.15
- New Jersey increases to $8.44
- Ohio increases to $8.15
- South Dakota increases to $8.65
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To speak to business owners supportive of raising the minimum wage, please contact Erin Musgrave at erin@erinmusgravecommunications.com, 530-864-7014 OR Bob Keener, 617-610-6766, bob@businessforafairminimumwage.org.
Business for a Fair Minimum Wage is a national network of business owners and executives and business organizations that believe a fair minimum wage makes good business sense.