4.5 Million US Workers Get Wage Increases on January 1

While a lot of attention has been focused recently on bonuses and increased wages at a handful of U.S. companies following passage of the Republican tax legislation, far more American minimum wage workers will get a pay hike as a result of state legislation or voter-approved ballot measures.

In all, state-initiated minimum wage increases will go into effect January 1 in 18 states and affect a total of 4.5 million American workers.

The federally mandated minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and has not been changed since 2009. Because Congress cannot agree on raising that paltry figure, 29 states and the District of Columbia have acted to raise the minimum wage on their own.

Here’s a list of the changes that take effect January 1 according to data from the Economic Policy Institute. We calculated the new annual wage based on 2,080 hours worked at the new minimum wage.

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Alaska
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 12,000; 4.1%
> Amount of increase: $0.04 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $9.84
> Annual wage based on increase: $18,908

Arizona
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 448,000; 16.4%
> Amount of increase: $0.50 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $10.50
> Annual wage based on increase: $21,840

California
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 2.1 million; 13.1%
> Amount of increase: $0.50 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $11.00
> Annual wage based on increase: $22,880

Colorado
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 167,000; 6.8%
> Amount of increase: $0.90 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $10.20
> Annual wage based on increase: $21,216

Florida
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 185,000; 2.2%
> Amount of increase: $0.15 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $8.25
> Annual wage based on increase: $17,160

Hawaii
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 51,000; 8.6%
> Amount of increase: $0.85 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $10.10
> Annual wage based on increase: $21,008

Maine
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 59,000; 10.4%
> Amount of increase: $1.00 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $10.00
> Annual wage based on increase: $20,800

Michigan
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 257,000; 6.1%
> Amount of increase: $0.35 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $9.25
> Annual wage based on increase: $19,240

Minnesota
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 129,000; 5%
> Amount of increase: $0.15 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $9.65
> Annual wage based on increase: $20,072

Missouri
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 44,000; 1.6%
> Amount of increase: $0.15 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $7.85
> Annual wage based on increase: $16,328

Montana
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 8,000; 1.9%
> Amount of increase: $0.15 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $8.30
> Annual wage based on increase: $17,264

New Jersey
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 91,000; 2.3%
> Amount of increase: $0.16 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $8.60
> Annual wage based on increase: $17,888

New York
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 379,000; 4.5%
> Amount of increase: $0.70 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $10.40
> Annual wage based on increase: $21,632

Ohio
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 146,000; 2.9%
> Amount of increase: $0.15 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $8.30
> Annual wage based on increase: $17,264

Rhode Island
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 30,000; 6.2%
> Amount of increase: $0.50 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $10.10
> Annual wage based on increase: $21,008

South Dakota
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 10,000; 2.7%
> Amount of increase: $0.20 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $8.85
> Annual wage based on increase: $18,408

Vermont
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 31,000; 10.6%
> Amount of increase: $0.50 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $10.50
> Annual wage based on increase: $21,840

Washington
> Number and percentage of workers affected: 370,000; 12%
> Amount of increase: $0.50 per hour
> New minimum wage amount: $11.50
> Annual wage based on increase: $23,920

More details are available at the Economic Policy Institute website:

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