>

Really? I live there. It’s not what you think. Exchange rates apply for international commerce. How does the exchange rate impact free medical services, education and local goods and services? It is not as expensive as people lead you to believe.I cannot fathom how you see the wages of someone in another country is impacted by your nation’s underperforming industrial reform.
This is great news for 1998. >

I live in Nebraska. Our minimum just went up to $10.50 an hour. We'll hit $12 next year, $13.50 in 2025, and $15 in 2026. I think we'll always be stuck in the 1990s. >

I’m actually surprised Nebraska isn’t at the $7.25 a lot of states have. >

It would be if it were up to the politicians. There was a ballot initiative when the $15 an hour push was big nationwide, but we only managed to get $9 then. I forget the details of it all now.
The folks just kept trying and, I guess, this is the best they can do. I'm already hearing from folks where I'm at that this is dumb because raising minimum is going to "raise prices on everything because you have to pay people more money to work." I am not going to explain how it all works again. I banged my head against a wall enough when it went up last time. >

It's because most people who vote Republican drink the Kool aid or vote for their team rather than vote for the person who aligns with their thinking.
That's why voter initiatives defeat Republicans in Republican states and now Republican states are trying to raise the voter threshold or add rules to voter initiatives. >

Climbs? It barely floats! >

Climbs? More like "Limps." >

I mean it’s a lot better than the $7.50 I was making in 2018. >

Doesnt seem like quite the concession.
Edit: For people who don’t seem to understand what this means, $7.50 is awfully low, and asking for $15 is still awfully low. It’s still a pittance to what should be afforded to lower income earners. >

Awesome, now it's almost half of the minimum required to live in MD. >

Exactly. I make $16/hr and I'm barely able to afford my THIRD of the rent. >

Don't move to the Bay Area then, unless you can find four roommates. >

“Reaches” is such a better term. “Climbed” makes it sound scary. >

The Barksdale organisation paid better than this. >

WA state went to $15.74. Problem is that pretty much NO other pay levels get near the same percentage increases that min has gotten ( 2023 in WA went from 14.49 in 2022  to 15.74  which was 8.6% raise).  Rest of the pay scales have pretty much been stuck in the 2% or so range of increases if any for years and years and now mid experienced people in their jobs only making a buck or two more than kid walking in off the street.. Need to get ALL pay scales that 8.6%. >

It'll come. People will take pay cuts for simpler jobs, driving up demand for higher paying jobs, increasing salary. >

But this has been going on now for maybe 7-8 years and no change in mid pay rates. 10 year experience person 10 years ago made 50% more than rookie with zero experience. Now they make less than 10% more. >

You have to hop jobs if you want change. >

I did that twice this year.  My pay has gone up but I've also had two 90 day periods without insurance. >

It’s not even possible to live on that >

PA is $7.25…
Edit: $7.25 not $7.50 >

Just to put this into perspective that’s a $30/week raise for a full time position (before taxes). You could almost buy gas now! >

Moved from Maryland 2 years ago to Washington State. Was a server in Maryland making approx 3.25/hour. Tips were good but unpredictable and you're kind of limited to 20 - 30 hours a week. Now work in a Walmart of all places. Started at 19.00/hour plus 1.50 shift differential for overnights. Wife too. >

That's cool Walmart has added getting a spouse to their benefits package. Really ups the ante. >

We both work there. >

It was a joke. Glad it's working out for both of you. >

How many business have already gone under? /s >

Climbs? This is still poverty wages. >

I had to give up a promising job at a hospital because $17.25 wasn’t enough to afford my rent. I was working that job full time, and another job 12-15 hours a week at a gas station which was paying me $17 an hour.
$13.25 stopped being competitive years ago >

Should make it $13.25 per half hour and it’s more acceptable >

Living wage vs. minimum wage. >

Maryland is expensive around the 3 main cities of Annapolis, Baltimore, and Frederick. Lots of rural areas that are close to suburbanites.
This does not help anyone in the cities, as Baltimore hemorrhages people to beyond the Beltway, leading whole neighborhoods abandoned and prone to crime/arson.
This low wage for necessary jobs is criminal. >

Don't forget the DC suburbs, the most populated and expensive part of the state. >

MoCo resident saying “hey.”
My condo fee is larger than my mortgage by about 30% - but at least I own something, which is better than can be said by far too many.
Fortunate to be able to pay this, but it is really expensive, yes. >

I grew up in MoCo and hoped to buy a house there one day...It's just not at all possible unless I have a dual income...And that's coming from a guy that has a pretty good salary...Pretty depressing tbh >

Shop. It’s what I did. Settled on a condo that needed renovation and paid accordingly (almost 100k under what they see going for renovated). While they’re studio units, I’ve seen 100k ones in my complex. Full 1 bed for ~150k.
You’ll have to put work in but it’s really one of the only ways on a single income (been single income since my divorce almost 15 years ago).
I’m literally 2 minutes’ walk from a metro stop and in a great neighborhood. And yes, I had to buy a fixer-upper, but it’s appreciated a ton in the last 5 years.
Just saying that there’s a way - though you may need to get a starter home with a future eye on what you actually want.
I’m almost there, but figure 2025 is when I’ll be able to make the jump to a house.
I do make a sizeable income, but it’s under 175k a year. And in a thread discussing minimum wage I know how that sounds. >

YES!!!
Now it's only half of what it's supposed to be..... >

Reminder that half of your take home pay (after deductions) is supposed to cover ALL living expenses (food, rent, utilities, transportation to and from work, all healthcare, etc.).
The other half is divided between emergency savings/retirement and flex spending (basically everything else).
Bottom line is, if you go over your living expenses, you have no financial backup or you're essentially working just to live (i.e. you're a slave). Also, you're not contributing to the economy in any meaningful way. >

Just enough to help afford the cardboard box, maybe even a FULL loaf of bread along with it >

About $13.25 from an ok livable wage…that’s also getting 40 a week and having a roommate. >

Not enough. Not even close. Keep going. >

Over 20 states are increasing their minimum wage this year. No doubt this is to the horror of Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve. >

Goes to 15.50 in CA this year. >

Pretty fucking pathetic. >

We pay 17 year olds in Australia more than that. >

Do you? From what I can find the 17 year old minimum wage is $11.47 AUD. That is ~$7.70 USD. >

Exchange rate aside, 17 year old fast food employee makes $13.40 an hour as a full time, day time, mon-fri. Penalty loading for evenings, weekends and holidays. That is based on state awards. Employers usually will offer more based on roles. But when you apply the exchange rate to make the US wage look higher it doesn’t consider the fact an Australian in Australia is not buying U.S. goods or services. 
I earned more than that per hour nearly 40 years ago. >

You can’t ignore the exchange rate in this comparison.
Cost of living is also higher in Australia…