California voters rejected a ballot measure that would have raised the minimum wage to the highest in the country.
Proposition 32 was rejected by a slim margin, with 50.8% opposing and 49.2% supporting, with 100% of precincts reporting, according to the unofficial tally and the Associated Press. The measure would have raised the minimum wage to $18 an hour by 2026, the highest in the country.
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Republican lawmakers are not the only ones raising concerns about Michigan’s minimum wage changes. Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed a motion with the state’s Supreme Court, asking for guidance on how to implement inflation adjustments.
Nessel specifically pointed out how the court’s broad language in its July ruling could lead to five possible options for when and how to adjust the minimum wage over time, with the state Department of Treasury’s approach and the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s approach also at odds with each other.
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Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed bills Thursday that would have raised Virginia’s minimum wage to $13.50 per hour in 2025 and $15 in 2026.
The companion bills were among the first to be prefiled by General Assembly Democrats, indicating their status as high-priority legislation.
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Lynda Fleischer, the owner of the Flagstaff restaurant Altitudes Bar & Grill, told The Arizona Sun Times that the Flagstaff minimum wage increase will be challenging for businesses like hers.
In January, Flagstaff is set to increase its minimum wage $16.80 an hour and $14.80 for tipped positions.
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Virginia’s FY 2023-2024 budget includes some wins for both businesses and workers, according to pro-business organization NFIB Virginia and pro-labor organization Virginia AFL-CIO. General Assembly negotiators have emphasized the compromise nature of the budget, but flashy proposals on tax relief, education, and law enforcement have gotten most of the attention.
“Governor Youngkin and legislators agreed on many issues that are important to Virginia’s small business, including full funding of the commonwealth’s unemployment insurance program, but we’re disappointed that so some key issues didn’t make the final cut, like the three-month suspension of the fuel tax,” NFIB Virginia State Director Julia Hammond said in a press release.
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Over half of the states in the U.S. will institute a minimum wage increase in 2022, according to a report.
A total of 26 states will raise the minimum wage in 2022, with 22 of the states starting the pay hikes on Jan. 1, accordingto payroll experts at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.
“These minimum wage increases indicate moves toward ensuring a living wage for people across the country,” Deirdre Kennedy, senior payroll analyst at Wolters Kluwer, said in the report. “In addition to previously approved incremental increases, the change in presidential administration earlier this year and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic have also contributed to these changes.”
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The Florida-based grocery chain, Publix, announced they are planning to hire 30,00 employees for its stores, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities before the end of the year.
“As we continue to grow, having a dedicated team ready to meet our needs is vitally important,” said Publix vice president of human resources, Marcy Benton, in a press release. “Whether associates are new to the workforce or making a career change, Publix provides great benefits and a strong culture in which its associates build long, fulfilling careers.”
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Florida State Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-FL-52) filed a ballot proposal to establish a “minimum working wage” for employees. The wage would be for new hires so that employers may ay their inexperienced workers at a lower rate before being legally required to pay the constitutionally mandated increased minimum wage.
The resolution, SJR 382, first has to pass through the Florida Legislature to be placed on the general election ballot in 2022. Then, Florida voters will have to approve the measure with at least 60 percent of the vote.
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Mike Rowe knows the value of hard work. The former star of “Dirty Jobs” gained notoriety for the Discovery Channel program, which featured him going undercover at some of the toughest and grossest jobs imaginable. From cleaning bat poop to testing shark suits by jumping into a shark feeding frenzy, Rowe has more appreciation than most for the dignity of labor.
So, it’s worth taking the actor’s recent warning on the perils of minimum wage hikes seriously.
Advocates for a federal $15 minimum wage argue that it’s the bare minimum that workers deserve and that more than doubling the mandated wage nationwide would uplift workers who are struggling to get by. Critics often point out that minimum wage hikes cause unemployment.
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GOP gubernatorial candidates Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), Peter Doran, Sergio de la Peña, and Glenn Youngkin met on Zoom on Thursday evening to answer policy questions about school reform, fixing Virginia’s tax code, improving broadband access, and making Virginia more veteran friendly. The New Mission PAC hosted the forum. PAC founder Daniel Gade and former Delegate Chris Saxman asked the questions in a format designed to allow candidates to demonstrate policy positions without engaging in direct debate.
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Democrats aren’t allowed to attach a provision increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour to their coronavirus relief package, a top Senate official ruled, according to reports.
Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, who oversees the interpretation of the chamber’s rules and precedents, decided Thursday evening that the proposed minimum wage hike couldn’t be included in President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan under budget reconciliation, CNBC reported. MacDonough had held private meetings over the last week with Democrats and Republicans, hearing their arguments for or against keeping the measure.
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