(WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com)– State Senator Dan Laughlin (R-49) announced Friday that he will introduce new legislation that would more than double the current minimum wage in Pennsylvania.
According to a release, the legislation would raise the minimum wage in Pennsylvania from $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour by 2026, starting with raising it to $11 per hour at the start of 2024, then permanently.
“I have heard from my constituents and have listened to both sides of the political aisle. Pennsylvania has not seen the minimum wage increase since it was hiked at the federal level in 2009. On average, a worker who earns minimum wage will only earn $15,000 per year. Due to the rising costs, workers are unable to pay for basic necessities and forced to rely on public assistance,” Laughlin said in a release.
The legislation also includes language that would set the tipped wage to 40% of the minimum wage as previously established under PA law. Tipped wages in PA have remained at $2.83 per hour since 1996.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 30 states have a higher minimum wage than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, with 15 states having or will have their minimum wage increase tied to the Consumer Price Index or other similar measures to provide automatic increases with inflation.
The federal tipped minimum wage...
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