Minimum Wage Rises in 21 States, 48 Counties, on New Year’s Day

Breitbart ^ | 01/01/2025 | Joel B Pollack

[ChicagoConservative27]

New Year’s Day brings a rise in the minimum hourly wage in nearly half of the states in the U.S., and 48 counties, though some economists warn that the mandated raises could hurt small businesses and overall employment levels.

Fox Business reported: “An analysis by The Economic Policy Institute says 21 states will raise their minimum wage at the first of the year, along with 48 cities and counties that are lifting their pay floors above their respective state minimums – mostly in California, Colorado and Washington.”

The Wall Street Journal editorial page took a skeptical view of the changes, warning that a movement in Congress to hike the federal minimum wage (now $7.25 per hour) to $17 would fail to take local difference into account, which are better dealt with at the state level:

[ChicagoConservative27]

Minimum wage should be zero.

[SMARTY]

Right, so “... California, Colorado and Washington...” are places to avoid altogether

Minimum wage jobs are not meant to be your ‘straight boogie, but are fine as 2nd jobs or for students, etc

You are not supposed to make a career out of those kinds of jobs or attempt to start a family on a minimum wage job

[Socon-Econ]

Expect stagnant employment and rising prices in the businesses employing low-wage workers.

[Dutch Boy]

I agree. You can’t pay employees more than they can produce. I’ve worked with some that couldn’t/wouldn’t produce a fraction of their pay.

[CatOwner]

Well, when businesses shut down or close unprofitable locations due to these wage laws, the income for the workers losing their jobs will be zero.

[econjack]

...some economists warn that the mandated raises could will hurt small businesses and overall employment levels.

There...fixed.

The minimum wage is an artifact left over from the 1930's when there were no protective child labor laws. The law was designed to protect the wages of young, inexperienced, often minority, workers. Today, when faced with minimum wages, employers try to pass those increased costs on to consumers, but competition makes that difficult. As a result, they look to reduce the number of workers and will select the least experienced worker, who is often the youngest, least experienced, often minority, worker.

These ass-hats never learn that the law of supply and demand still exists regardless of their attempts to ignore them.

[grey_whiskers]

It is zero.

More H1-Bs to the rescue.

[Highest Authority]

Where in the Constitution does it give the government the right to set wages?

[libertylover]

Inflationary by a factor of 21 plus 48.

[Republican Wildcat]

Any effective price floor for wages will result in less employment and/or higher costs. That is the only result. The only time that would not occur is if the price floor is not above the equilibrium set by labor market conditions (in other words, it has no effect).

[Lizavetta]

though some economists warn that the mandated raises could hurt small businesses and overall employment levels.

Not could ... will.

[adorno]

Minimum Wage Rises in 21 States, 48 Counties, on New Year’s Day

Headlines should be:

Minimum wage increases to lead to business closures and higher unemployment in states and cities demanding the higher wages.

When the headlines are all that people read, they wont be digging deeper to learn the consequences.

[packagingguy]

A business needs to pay $15/hour just to make it worthwhile for someone to show up to work.

I live in the poorest metropolitan area in the country and that’s what Taco Bell pays.

[cowboyusa]

A FEDERAL Minimum Wage is Unconstitutional.

[napscoordinator]

The federal minimum wage is 7.50. Too much I suppose for some.

[zeestephen]

Seattle minimum wage for ALL workers now...

$20.76 per hour.

Washington state new minimum wage...

$16.66 per hour.

Politically, I support a minimum wage, and the higher the better.

It completely destroys the economic incentive for massive legal immigration.

And, it vigorously stimulates the economic incentive for labor saving computer software and devices.

[Seruzawa]

Layoffs rise in 21 States, Counties on New years Day.

[Vaduz]

Minimum skills for maximum pay that sounds right huh Moe.

Now they never have to seek work that requires skills and thinking Mortimer Snerd bats eyes.

[oldtech]

This is exactly what will happen. To me, it means that while we were expecting some prices to start down, they may start up again. There are certain jobs where the real young & inexperienced kids are just not worth that much. So either there may not be much hiring in those areas or where it happens,sales may really dry up. Then we could end up right back where we started. Where I live, the new minimum will be just about at the level of what I get for S.S. One of the results could be that seniors will be unable to ever eat out & thanks to Bidenomics, we were already in difficulty in that area of consumerism.