In 13 states and four cities across the country, minimum wage workers will see an increase in their paychecks starting January 1. Some areas will make very small increases of around 15 cents per hour, but others like New Jersey, Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island have opted for a larger raise. New Jersey will raise their minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $8.25 per hour and Connecticut will soon have a minimum wage of $8.70 an hour.
Some workers, like those in the fast-food industry, are pushing for more drastic change, and would like to see a minimum wage of $15 per hour. It is nearly unanimous in the industry that workers cannot survive off the average of $9 per hour that they make.
Many Democrats have also supported a nation-wide increase in minimum wage, aiming for a number around $10.10. President Obama has added that it is “well past the time to raise the minimum wage that in real terms right now is below where it was when Harry Truman was in office.”
