Point/counterpoint: $15 minimum wage - Raising living wage is a start
Dean Baker
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The standard argument against raising the minimum wage is not supported by the evidence.
We now have considerable experience with state and local governments having substantial increases in their minimum wages. Several cities, including New York, San Francisco and Seattle, already have a $15 an hour minimum wage. California’s statewide minimum wage is now at $14 an hour and is scheduled to hit $15 an hour for mid-size and large employers next year and all employers in 2023.
Dozens of economists have carefully analyzed these minimum wage hikes. To the surprise of many, including me, there is no evidence that these minimum wage increases have led to job loss. Instead, they have resulted in substantial improvements in living standards for millions of low-wage workers.