These will be the states with the highest minimum wage in the US in 2024
Several states in the US will increase their minimum wage in 2024. Find out which ones will have the highest rates for minimum wage earners next year.
Despite several efforts to increase the federal minimum wage in the United States, it has remained at $7.25 per hour since 2009, for a total of 14 years thus far. This marks the longest period without an increase since the minimum wage was created in 1938.
The federal minimum wage may be less than $8 per hour, but not all minimum-wage earners in the country receive this amount. The District of Columbia and 30 states have higher rates, starting at around $10 per hour up to more than $15 per hour.
Certain states have tied their increases to the cost of living to keep up with inflation and avoid affecting the purchasing power of their workers. Others have established legislation that includes automatic increases each year. Because of these laws, several states will increase the minimum wage in 2024. Where will the increase be greatest?
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These will be the states with the highest minimum wage in the US in 2024
Setting aside the District of Columbia, where the minimum wage is $17 per hour, Washington is currently the state with the highest benchmark wage in the country.
This year, the minimum wage in this state increased to $15.74 per hour, and it will go up even more next year. Washington state’s minimum will increase to $16.28 an hour starting in January 2024, 54 cents higher than its current rate, retaining its title as the state with the highest minimum wage in the US.
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The Washington Department of Labor and Industries announced the increase in September, calculating it based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Workers and Administrative Personnel (CPI-W).
To arrive at the result, the Department compared the CPI-W index for August of the previous year with the index for August of the current year.
The state minimum wage applies to workers 16 years of age or older. Under state law, employers can pay 85% of the minimum wage to workers ages 14 to 15. By 2024, the wage for this younger group will be $13.84 per hour.
Washington allows cities to raise minimum wage
In Washington, cities can establish higher minimum wages than state minimum wages. Seattle, SeaTac and Tukwila have decided to adopt this measure, making them three of the cities with the highest reference salaries in the country.
Other states that will be paying the highest minimum salaries in the country next year will be:
- California: California's minimum wage will increase 3.5% as of January 1, 2024. Therefore, the state base salary will be $16 per hour.
- Connecticut: Connecticut's minimum hourly wage will increase 4.6% to $15.69 as of January 1, 2024.
- New Jersey: Minimum wage will increase by $1 next year. Starting in January 2024, the base salary will be $15.13 per hour.