This is the best summary I could come up with:
According to the Department of Labor, 20 states will maintain the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
And according to EPI, of the 17.6 million workers earning less than $15 an hour, nearly half live in those 20 states that continue to stick to the federal minimum wage — which has not changed since 2009.
And over the past year, inflation, and the rising cost of virtually everything — from housing to groceries — has forced many Americans to deplete their savings and go deeper into debt.
While the U.S. economy is proving to be robust in terms of retail sales, strong job numbers and a slowing rate of inflation, those who earn minimum wage have had a harder time paying rent, and buying essential household goods, including groceries.
According to EPI data, nearly 58% of workers who will benefit from the coming wage increase are women.
Most recently, Senate Democrats introduced the Raise the Wage Act of 2023 in July.
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