New York State's minimum wage would increase to over $20 an hour by 2026 if a bill in Albany is successful. Known as Raise Up NY, the legislation would raise the minimum wage over the next three years to $21.25 and index it each year after that to match inflation. That would increase wages for almost three million workers, or about one-third of the state's workforce, by 2024. Some opponents feel a higher minimum wage would discourage people from seeking better jobs. But State Senator Jessica Ramos, who is spearheading the legislation in the Senate, says some people don't have a choice. She feels the perception of minimum-wage workers isn't entirely true...

Jessica Ramos: perception of minimum-wage workers

While the state's minimum wage has been at or around $15 an hour since 2019, many feel it needs to catch up with current inflation. A report from the National Employment Law Project finds a stagnating wage could erase the benefits that earlier increases created. Ramos says indexing the minimum wage over time could benefit businesses, too...

Jessica Ramos: show it could help small businesses

She says the bill has strong bipartisan support. And in a 2022 poll, 70% of likely voters said they believe workers need to earn at least $20 an hour "to live at a decent level." The bill is currently in committee.

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiQmh0dHBzOi8vY2hhdXRhdXF1YXRvZGF5LmNv...