Minimum wage increases in 2019
- Last updated: April 2, 2019
In 2019, the minimum wage rates of 21 states and Washington, D.C., increased. The size of increases ranged from $0.05 in Alaska to $1.40 in New Jersey. The statewide minimum wages ranged from $12.00 in California, Massachusetts, and Washington (and $14.00 in Washington, D.C.) to $5.15 in Georgia and Wyoming. In New York and Oregon, state laws provided for regional minimum wages. In metropolitan Portland, Oregon, the minimum wage increased from $12.00 to $12.50 on July 1, 2019. In New York City, the minimum wage increased from $13.00 to $15.00 for certain employers on December 31, 2018.
Of the 21 states with increases in 2019, 11 (52 percent) of the increases were due to voter-approved ballot initiatives. Ten (48 percent) of the increases were due to legislative bills, with two of the increases (California and Massachusetts) resulting from compromises between legislators and ballot initiative campaigns and one (Michigan) resulting from an amendment to an indirect initiative. Eighteen (86 percent) of the wage increases were scheduled to occur on January 1, 2019. One was scheduled for New Year's Eve, December 31, 2018. Two were scheduled for July 1, 2019. The last scheduled minimum wage increase occurred on October 1, 2019.[1]
2019 minimum wages
Excluding D.C., the average state minimum wage was around $8.68 in 2019. The highest statewide minimum wages based on state law were $12.00 in California, Massachusetts, and Washington. In metropolitan Portland, Oregon, the minimum wage was $12.50. In New York City, the minimum wage was $15.00 for certain employers. The lowest minimum wages based on state law were $5.15 in Georgia and Wyoming, which was lower than the federal government's requirement (therefore, the federal government's requirement superseded state law for most types of employees).
Changes to state minimum wage laws
2018
In Arkansas, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Missouri, state laws governing the minimum wage were amended in 2018, with increases set for 2019.
- Arkansas Issue 5: Voters approved the ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage to $9.25 in 2019; $10.00 in 2020; and $11.00 in 2021.
- Delaware Senate Bill 170: Passed on July 1, 2018, SB 170 was set to increase the minimum wage to $9.25 on October 1, 2019.
- Massachusetts House Bill 4640: Struck as a deal between the legislature and the group Raise Up Massachusetts, which was campaigning for a ballot initiative, HB 4640 was designed to increase the minimum wage each year until reaching $15.00 in 2023.
- Michigan Senate Bill 1171: The state legislature approved an indirect initiative to increase the minimum wage on September 5, 2018. The initiative was designed to increase the minimum wage between 60 and 75 cents each year until reaching $12.00 in 2022. On December 4, the legislature voted to amend the initiative, which would still increase the minimum wage to $12.00 but not until 2030. Gov. Rick Snyder (R) signed the bill on December 13, 2018. SB 1171 was designed to increase the minimum wage to $9.45 in 2019.
- Missouri Proposition B: Voters approved the ballot initiative designed to increase the minimum wage 85 cents each year until reaching $12.00 in 2022 and, beginning in 2023, index the wage to inflation.
2019
In New Jersey, the state law governing the minimum wage was amended in 2019, with an increase set for 2019.
- New Jersey Assembly Bill 15: The New Jersey State Legislature approved A15 on January 31, 2019. Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed the bill on February 4, 2019. A15 was designed to increase the minimum wage over five years, reaching $15.00 in 2024. In 2019, A15 was set to increase the minimum wage to $10.00 on July 1, 2019.
Increases in 2019
In 2019, the minimum wage increased in 21 states and Washington, D.C. The size of increases ranged from $0.05 in Alaska to $1.40 in New Jersey. The average wage increase was $0.24, including all states. The average wage increase was $0.55, including just the states with increases in 2019.
Effective December 31, 2018
One increase in the minimum wage was scheduled for New Year's Eve, December 31, 2018, in the following state:
- New York: On December 31, 2018, the minimum wage increased in New York. Passed in 2016, the legislation for the state's minimum wage divided the state into three regions. In New York City, the minimum wage increased from $13.00 to $15.00 for employers of 11 or more employees on December 31. In upstate New York, the minimum wage increased from $10.40 to $11.10.[2] To read more about New York's regional minimum wages, see the regional minimum wages section below.
Effective January 1, 2019
Eighteen (86 percent) of the wage increases were scheduled to occur on January 1, 2019, in the following states:
Measures
Voting on Minimum Wage | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ballot Measures | |||
By state | |||
By year | |||
Not on ballot | |||
|
- Alaska: In 2014, voters in Alaska approved Measure 3, which increase the minimum wage to $9.75 in 2016 and indexed the wage to inflation thereafter. On January 1, 2019, the minimum wage increased from $9.84 to $9.89 due to inflation.[3]
- Arkansas: Voters approved Issue 5 on November 6, 2018. On January 1, 2019, Issue 5 increased the state's minimum wage from $8.50 to $9.25. Issue 5 was designed to increase the minimum wage each year until reaching $11.00 in 2021. Issue 5 did not index the minimum wage to inflation.[4]
- Arizona: Arizona's minimum wage increased from $10.50 to $11.00 on January 1, 2019. In 2016, voters approved Proposition 206, which was designed to increase the minimum wage each year until reaching $12.00 in 2020 and index the wage to inflation beginning in 2021.[5]
- Colorado: On January 1, 2019, the minimum wage in Colorado increased from $10.20 to $11.10 due to a ballot initiative approved in 2016. Amendment 70 was designed to increase the minimum each year until reaching $12.00 in 2020 and index the wage to inflation beginning in 2021.[6]
- Florida: On January 1, 2019, the minimum wage in Florida increased from $8.25 to $8.46 due to inflation. In 2004, voters in Florida approved Amendment 5, which increased the minimum wage to $6.15 in 2005 and indexed the wage to inflation thereafter.[7]
- Maine: Maine's minimum wage increased from $10.00 to $11.00 on January 1, 2019 due to a ballot initiative approved in 2016. Question 4 was designed to increase the minimum wage each year until reaching $12.00 in 2020 and index the wage to inflation beginning in 2021.[8]
- Missouri: Voters in Missouri approved Proposition B on November 6, 2018. Proposition B increased the state's minimum wage from $7.85 to $8.60 on January 1, 2019. Proposition B was designed to increase the minimum each year until reaching $12 in 2023 and indexing the wage to inflation beginning in 2024.[9]
- Montana: On January 1, 2019, the minimum wage in Montana increased from $8.15 to $8.30. In 2006, voters approved Initiative 151, which increased the minimum wage to $6.15 in 2007 and indexed the minimum wage to inflation beginning in 2008.[10]
- New Jersey: On January 1, 2019, the minimum wage in New Jersey increased from $8.60 to $8.85 due to inflation. Question 2, a legislative referral approved in 2013, increased the minimum wage to $8.25 in 2014 and indexed the wage to inflation beginning in 2015.[11]
- Ohio: On January 1, 2019, the minimum wage in Ohio increased from $8.30 to $8.55 due to inflation. In 2006, voters approved Amendment 2, which increased the minimum wage to $6.85 in 2007 and indexed the minimum wage to inflation beginning in 2008.[12]
- South Dakota: South Dakota's minimum wage increased from $8.85 to $9.10 on January 1, 2019. In 2014, voters approved Measure 18, which increased the minimum wage to $8.50 in 2015 and indexed the minimum wage to inflation beginning in 2016.[13]
- Washington: On January 1, 2019, the minimum wage in Washington increased from $11.50 to $12.00. In 2016, voters approved Initiative 1433, which was designed to increase the minimum wage to $13.50 in 2020 and index the minimum wage to inflation beginning in 2021.[14]
Bills
- California: On January 1, 2019, the minimum wage in California increased from $11.00 to $12.00. In 2015, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 3 as a compromise with the labor union behind a citizen-initiated measure that would have increased the minimum wage faster. SB 3 was set to increase the minimum wage each year until reaching $15.00 in 2022 and tacking the minimum wage to inflation thereafter.[15]
- Massachusetts: The minimum wage in Massachusetts increased from $11.00 to $12.00 on January 1, 2019. In 2018, the Massachusetts State Legislature passed House Bill 4640 (HB 4640) as a compromise with the organization Raise Up Massachusetts to keep a citizen-initiated measure off the ballot. HB 4940 was set to increase the minimum wage each year until reaching $15.00 in 2023 but did not tack the minimum wage to inflation thereafter. The ballot initiative would have increased the minimum wage to $15.00 in 2022 and tacked the minimum wage to inflation thereafter.[16]
- Michigan: In 2018, the campaign One Fair Wage Michigan collected signatures for an indirect initiative to increase the minimum wage between 60 and 75 cents each year until reaching $12.00 in 2022 and index the wage to inflation beginning in 2023. The initiative was designed to increase the minimum wage from $9.25 to $10.00 in 2019. The Michigan State Legislature approved the indirect initiative on September 5, 2018, keeping the measure off the ballot. On December 4, 2018, the state legislature amended the initiative to increase the minimum wage to $12.05 in 2030. Under the state Legislature's proposal, the minimum wage would increase from $9.25 to $9.45—a $0.20 increase—on January 1, 2019. Gov. Rick Snyder (R) signed the bill on December 13, 2018.[17]
- Minnesota: On January 1, 2019, Minnesota's minimum wage increased from $9.65 to $9.86 for large companies and $7.87 to $8.04 for small companies, as defined in state law. Passed in 2014, the state's law increased the minimum wage to $9.50 in 2017 and indexed increases to annual changes in inflation.[18]
- Rhode Island: On January 1, 2019, the minimum wage in Rhode Island increased from $10.10 to $10.50 due to legislation passed in 2017. The increase in 2019 was the final increase under the state law, as the legislation did not provide for annual adjustments based on inflation.[19]
- Vermont: On January 1, 2019, the minimum wage in Vermont increased from $10.50 to $10.78 due to an increase in inflation. In 2014, the Vermont State Legislature passed a bill increasing the minimum wage each year until reaching $10.50 in 2018, which was to be indexed to annual changes in inflation beginning in 2019.[20]
Effective July 1, 2019
One of the wage increases was scheduled for July 1, 2019, in the following states and D.C.:
Measures
- Nevada: In Nevada, increases to the minimum wage are announced on or before April 1 based on the rate of inflation for the previous year. On April 1, 2019, the Nevada Office of the Labor Commissioner announced that there would not be an inflation-based minimum wage increase in July 2019. In 2006, voters approved Question 6, which increased the minimum wage to $5.15 for employers who provided health benefits to their employees and $6.15 for employers who did not provide health benefits. Question 6 indexed the minimum wage to inflation. Between July 1, 2018, and at least June 30, 2020, the minimum wage in Nevada was set to be $7.25 for employers who provide health benefits and $8.25 for employers who do not.
Bills
- New Jersey: On July 1, 2019, the minimum wage in New Jersey increased from $8.85 to $10.00 due to legislation passed on January 30, 2019, and signed on February 4, 2019.[21]
- Oregon: On July 1, 2019, the minimum wage increased in Oregon. Passed in 2016, the legislation for the state's minimum wage divided the state into three regions. In metropolitan Portland, the minimum wage increased from $12.00 to $12.50. In the counties classified as standard, the minimum wage increased from $10.75 to $11.25. In the counties classified as nonurban, the minimum wage increased from $10.50 to $11.00. To read more about Oregon's regional minimum wages, see the regional minimum wages section below.[22]
- Washington, D.C.: On July 1, 2019, the minimum wage in Washington, D.C., increased from $13.25 to $14.00. In 2016, the D.C. Council approved an ordinance to increase the city's minimum wage each year until reaching $15.00 in 2020 and indexing the wage to inflation beginning in 2021. In June 2018, voters approved a ballot initiative increasing the minimum wage for tipped employees to match the city's standard minimum wage. However, the D.C. Council repealed the voter-approved initiative in October 2018.[23]
Effective October 1, 2019
The last scheduled minimum wage increase occurred on October 1, 2019, in the following state:
- Delaware: On October 1, 2019, Delaware's minimum wage increased from $8.75 to $9.25. In 2018, the Delaware State Legislature voted to increase the state's minimum wage from $8.25 to $8.75 on October 1, 2018, and to $9.25 on October 1, 2019.[24]
States with regional minimum wages
In 2016, both New York and Oregon passed laws increasing state minimum wages. Both states divided counties between three different categories and gave them each a different minimum wage rate.
New York
In New York, the minimum wage varied between counties classified as New York City, Long Island and Westchester, and upstate. On December 31, 2018, the minimum wage in the five counties composing New York City increased from $13.00 to $15.00 for employers of 11 or more employees and from $12.00 to $13.50 for employers with 10 or less employees. The minimum wage in the three counties composing Long Island and Westchester increased from $11.00 to $12.00. The minimum wage in the 54 counties composing upstate New York increased from $10.40 to $11.10.[2]
Oregon
In Oregon, the minimum wage varied between counties classied as metropolitan Portland, standard, and nonurban. On July 1, 2018, the minimum wage in portions of the three counties classied as the metropolitan Portland urban growth area increased from $12.00 to $12.50. The minimum wage increased in the 15 counties classified as standard from $10.75 to $11.25. The minimum wage increased in the 18 counties classified as nonurban from $10.50 to $11.00.[22]
Wages by population in 2019
In 2019, about 59.5 percent of the U.S. population will live in states with a minimum wage rate above the federal rate of $7.25 and:
- 42.1 percent will live in a state with a state-mandated minimum wage rate of at least $9.00;
- 32.3 percent will live in a state with a state-mandated minimum wage rate of at least $10.10—the rate that President Barack Obama called for in 2013;
- 28.4 percent will live in a state or region with a state-mandated minimum wage rate of at least $11.00;
- 21.1 percent will live in a state or region with a state-mandated minimum wage rate of at least $12.00; and
- 2.65 percent will live in a region with a state-mandated minimum wage rate of at least $15.00—the rate the DNC called for in its 2016 platform.
The following table is based on state laws, not local laws. Some local jurisdictions had enacted minimum wage rates above the statewide minimum wage rate.
Wage | States/Regions | Population, 2017 | Population at and above wage level | Percent of U.S. population | Percent of U.S. population at and above wage level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
$15.00* | New York City | 8,622,698 | 8,622,698 | 2.65% | 2.65% |
$14.00 | Washington, D.C. | 693,972 | 9,316,670 | 0.21% | 2.86% |
$12.50* | Metropolitan Portland, Oregon | 1,809,184 | 11,125,854 | 0.56% | 3.42% |
$12.00 | California, Massachusetts, Washington, and Long Island and Westchester, New York | 57,644,926 | 68,770,780 | 17.70% | 21.11% |
$11.25 | Oregon (Standard) | 1,828,544 | 70,599,324 | 0.56% | 21.67% |
$11.10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 76,206,478 | 1.72% | 23.40% |
$11.00 | Arizona, Maine, Upstate New York, and non-urban Oregon | 16,241,215 | 92,447,693 | 4.99% | 28.38% |
$10.78 | Vermont | 623,657 | 93,071,350 | 0.19% | 28.57% |
$10.50 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 94,130,989 | 0.33% | 28.90% |
$10.10 | Connecticut, Hawaii, and Maryland | 11,067,899 | 105,198,888 | 3.40% | 32.30% |
$10.00 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 114,204,532 | 2.76% | 35.06% |
$9.89 | Alaska | 739,795 | 114,944,327 | 0.23% | 35.29% |
$9.86 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 120,520,933 | 1.71% | 37.00% |
$9.45 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 130,483,244 | 3.06% | 40.06% |
$9.25 | Arkansas and Delaware | 3,966,218 | 134,449,462 | 1.22% | 41.28% |
$9.10 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 135,319,128 | 0.27% | 41.54% |
$9.00 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 137,239,204 | 0.59% | 42.13% |
$8.75 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 139,055,061 | 0.56% | 42.69% |
$8.60 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 145,168,593 | 1.88% | 44.57% |
$8.55 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 156,827,202 | 3.58% | 48.15% |
$8.50 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 157,877,695 | 0.32% | 48.47% |
$8.46 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 178,862,095 | 6.44% | 54.91% |
$8.25 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 191,664,118 | 3.93% | 58.84% |
$7.50 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 193,752,188 | 0.64% | 59.48% |
$7.25 | Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin | 117,960,257 | 311,712,445 | 36.22% | 95.70% |
$5.15 | Georgia and Wyoming | 11,008,694 | 322,721,139 | 3.38% | 99.08% |
$8.25[25] | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 325,719,178 | 0.92% | 100.00% |
Recent and proposed ballot measures
2020 measures
Minimum wage measures proposed for 2020 ballots | ||
---|---|---|
State | Measures | Status |
Florida | Florida Amendment 2, $15 Minimum Wage Initiative | Approved |
2018 measures
Minimum wage measures proposed for 2018 ballots | ||
---|---|---|
State | Measures | Status |
Missouri | Missouri Proposition B: $12 Minimum Wage Initiative | Approved |
Arkansas | Arkansas Issue 5, Minimum Wage Increase Initiative | Approved |
2016 measures
Minimum wage measures proposed for 2016 ballots | ||
---|---|---|
State | Measures | Status |
Arizona | Arizona Minimum Wage and Paid Time Off, Proposition 206 | Approved |
South Dakota | South Dakota Decreased Youth Minimum Wage Veto Referendum, Referred Law 20 | Defeated |
Washington | Washington Minimum Wage Increase, Initiative 1433 | Approved |
Colorado | Colorado $12 Minimum Wage, Amendment 70 | Approved |
See also
- Minimum wage on the ballot
- Minimum wage by state in the United States
- Minimum wage increases in 2024
- Minimum wage increases in 2023
- Minimum wage increases in 2022
- Minimum wage increases in 2021
- Minimum wage increases in 2020
- Minimum wage increases in 2019
- Minimum wage increases in 2018
Additional reading
- ProCon.org, "State-by-State Minimum Wage Levels"
- ProCon.org, "Should the Federal Minimum Wage Be Increased?"
- ProCon.org, "Should the federal minimum wage be increased: Pro and Con quotes"
- ProCon.org, "Should the federal minimum wage be increased: Background of the Issue"
Footnotes
- ↑ Note: The minimum wage in New Jersey was scheduled to increase twice—once on January 1, 2019, and once on July 1, 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 New York Department of Labor, "New York State's Minimum Wage," accessed December 3, 2018
- ↑ Alaska Division of Labor Standards and Saftey, "Minimum Wage Standard and Overtime Hours," accessed December 6, 2018
- ↑ Arkansas Democrat Gazette, "Voters favor effort to raise minimum pay in Arkansas," November 7, 2018
- ↑ Arizona Industrial Commission, "Labor Department - Minimum Wage," accessed December 6, 2018
- ↑ Colorado Department of Labor, "Minimum Wage," accessed December 6, 2018
- ↑ Orlando Weekly, "Florida's minimum wage will go up a whole 21 cents in 2019," October 22, 2018
- ↑ Maine Department of Labor, "New Minimum Wage Increases," December 6, 2018
- ↑ Springfield News-Leader, "When does the minimum wage go up in Missouri?" November 7, 2018
- ↑ Montana Department of Labor and Industry, "Governor Bullock Announces Montana’s Minimum Wage to Increase," December 6, 2018
- ↑ U.S. News, "NJ Minimum Wage Going up 25 Cents in 2019 to $8.85," October 12, 2018
- ↑ The News-Herald, "Ohio's minimum wage to increase in 2019," October 1, 2018
- ↑ KDLT News, "South Dakota Minimum Wage to Increase .25 Cents in 2019," September 26, 2018
- ↑ Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, "History of Washington Minimum Wage," accessed December 6, 2018
- ↑ USA Today, "California reaches deal on $15 minimum wage," March 28, 2018
- ↑ Boston.com, "What you need to know about the ‘grand bargain’ that Charlie Baker just signed into law," June 28, 2018
- ↑ Michigan State Legislature, "Senate Bill 1171," accessed December 5, 2018
- ↑ Twin Cities Pioneer Press, "Minnesota sets new minimum wage for 2019," August 23, 2018
- ↑ Providence Journal, "Push for $15-an-hour minimum wage renewed by R.I.’s progressive Democrats," January 30, 2018
- ↑ Washington Post, "Vermont minimum wage will rise to $10.50 an hour," June 10, 2014
- ↑ NJ.com, "$15 minimum wage is now coming to New Jersey! Murphy signs new law to cheers from workers, jeers from businesses," February 4, 2019
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, "Oregon Minimum Wage Rate Summary," accessed December 3, 2019
- ↑ District of Columbia, "D.C. Minimum Wage," accessed December 6, 2018
- ↑ ABC 47, "Delaware votes to raise minimum wage," July 3, 2018
- ↑ $7.25 for employers offering health benefits