By Art Raymond
Deseret News, July 2, 2022. Also KSL radio (Salt Lake City).
As record high U.S. inflation continues to have the most severe impacts on lower income individuals and families, new hourly minimum wage standards went into effect on Friday in 20 states, cities and counties across the country.
While minimum wage thresholds are now above the $7.25 per hour federal minimum in 30 states and the District of Columbia, 20 states, including Utah, continue to match the federal rate, which has remained unchanged since it moved from $6.55 to $7.25 an hour back in 2009. ...
Some states have adopted simple base rate changes to their minimum wage laws while others have tied minimum wage rates to cost of living increases.
Holly Sklar, CEO of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, which advocates for higher minimum wages, said indexing minimum wage rates is a more equitable method of working to ensure even the lowest paid workers are earning a living wage.
“When you have indexing to the cost of living you are running in place. It’s not like, ‘I got a huge pay raise,’ but it’s allowing you to not fall behind,” Sklar told CBS MoneyWatch. “It’s really vital.” ...
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