19 States To Raise Their Minimum Wage For New Year's Day 2026

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Nineteen states will raise their minimum wages to ring in the new year for 2026, with most of them reaching a rate of $15 per hour or higher.

Another 49 cities and counties across the country will also be hiking their wage floors on Jan. 1, according to a breakdown by the National Employment Law Project.

Even though the federal minimum wage remains just $7.25 per hour, a majority of states now require employers to pay a higher rate. New Year’s Day is the most common time for states to implement scheduled increases to their minimum wages, thanks to cost-of-living adjustments written into state laws.

The highest state minimums will come to Washington State, at $17.13 per hour; New York, which will mandate $17 in the New York City metro area; and New Jersey, which will require $18.92 for long-term care workers.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/19-states-raise-minimum-wage-110017233.html

[canetoad]

1. Better than before

But still not enough.

[MichMan]

2. Didn't Mamdani campaign on a $30 per hour minimum wage?

Not all at once, but it would reach that point after a few years

[SamKnause]

3. Ohio from $10.70 to $11.00. What a fucking insult.

[JustKay]

4. Government pandering to the proletariat

Most of these states are adding cents to the existing minimum wage (see below). Are minimum wage workers supposed to feel blessed? A few cents here and there are not going to address rampant health care costs, lack of affordable housing, and escalating grocery prices. This is all about distraction. Unfortunately, it continues to work.

Arizona: $14.70 to $15.15 = .45 cents
• California: $16.50 to $16.90 = 40 cents
• Colorado: $14.81 to $15.16 =35 cents
• Connecticut: $16.35 to $16.94 = 59 cents
• Hawaii: $14 to $16 = $2 dollars. In the state with the highest cost of living.
• Maine: $14.65 to $15.10 =45 cents
• Michigan: $12.48 to $13.73 = $1.25
• Minnesota: $11.13 to $11.41 = 28 cents
• Missouri: $13.75 to $15 = $1.25
• Montana: $10.55 to $10.85 = 30 cents
• Nebraska: $13.50 to $15 = $1.50
• New Jersey: $15.49 to $15.92 (other rates apply to certain groups) = 43 cents
• New York: $16.50 to $17 in NYC metro; $15.50 to $16 upstate = 50 cents
• Ohio: $10.70 to $11 = 30 cents
• Rhode Island: $15 to $16 = $1.00
• South Dakota: $11.50 to $11.85 = 35 cents
• Vermont: $14.01 to $14.42 = 41 cents
• Virginia: $12.41 to $12.77 =36 cents
• Washington State: $16.66 to $17.13 = 47 cents

[Alice B.]

5. Still nothin' in PA, which is tethered to the federal minimum wage

*sigh*

There's a new tax credit for those qualifying for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
This is a start and will be some welcome help for those that qualify (especially considering our flat income tax), don't get me wrong... but as someone who doesn't qualify for the EITC but will have made less than $30k last year (no kids)... my celebration is muted.
*slow rotation of index finger*