This was the year that low-wage workers finally gained significant bargaining power and wielded it to snare big pay increases.
But that’s not stopping many states and cities from cementing at least some of those advances into law.
Twenty-one states and 35 cities and counties are set to raise their minimum wages on or about New Year’s Day, according to a report provided exclusively to USA TODAY by the National Employment Law Project (NELP), a worker advocacy group.
Base hourly pay will climb from $11 to $12 in Illinois; from $9.25 to $10.50 in Delaware; from $9.50 to $11 in Virginia; from $12 to $13 for most workers in New Jersey; and from $10.50 to $11.50 in Delaware.
Since some governments will act later in the year, a total of 25 states and 55 localities – a record 80 jurisdictions – will lift their pay floors sometime in 2022, according to NELP.
A base wage of $15 an hour or higher, derided as the pipe dream of striking fast-food workers just a few years ago, is becoming commonplace. California’s minimum will reach $15 for the first time on January 1 for large employers. New York state — already at $15 in New York City and for fast-food workers statewide — will extend that benchmark to Long Island and Westchester County on New Year’s Eve.
Four of the localities lifting their pay floors Jan. 1 will hit the $15 threshold for the first time: Denver, which is leaping from $14.77 to $15.87, and the California cities of San Diego, Oakland and West Hollywood.
Another 27...
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