U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., announced Thursday he will introduce the Living Wage for All Act to raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour.
If passed, large corporate employers would be required to implement a $25 wage floor by 2032, while other businesses would have until 2039 to comply.
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The bill would also mandate automatic, continued increases to the federal minimum wage — pegged to two-thirds of the national median wage — to ensure the floor keeps pace with economic conditions going forward.
“If you work full time in this country, you should be able to afford to live. But wages are so low that parents work 60 hours a week and still aren’t sure if they’ll have lunch money for their kids,” said Murphy. “Our economy is not working for people and we have to put forward solutions that are as big as the problems American families are facing.”
The Living Wage for All Act is co-sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Andy Kim, D-N.J., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore. Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Reps. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., Analilia Mejia, D-N.J., Jesús “Chuy” García, D-Ill., and Lateefah Simon, D-Calif.
Why lawmakers say the time is now
Congress has not raised the federal minimum wage since 2009 — the first term of the Obama administration. In the nearly two decades since, the cost of living has surged while wages have stagnated.
Proponents argue that had the minimum wage kept pace with inflation and productivity since 1968, it would have reached approximately $25 by 2023. Today, 45% of American workers earn less than $25 an hour.
Opponents of the bill say raising the minimum wage would result in job losses and lead to higher prices for the consumer.
Florida
Florida’s basic minimum wage is $14 per hour.
Georgia
Georgia’s minimum wage is $5.15 per hour and applies to employers with six or more employees.
However, Georgia law excludes from coverage any employment subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act when the federal rate is greater than the state rate. Employers in Georgia who are subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.