By Adam Uzialko
Business.com, Updated January 7, 2026

Paying a “living wage” requires more than meeting state and federal minimum wage requirements. Living in certain communities is more expensive and requires people to earn more to sustain basic life necessities. As an employer, paying a living wage can feel like a burden to the bottom line, but it can be a powerful investment in your people that positively affects business outcomes. ...

“When you’re setting something like the federal minimum wage, you want to consider the averages,” said Holly Sklar, CEO of Business for a...

By John Reitmeyer
NJ Spotlight News, January 5, 2026

Workers making the minimum hourly wage in New Jersey saw a raise on Thursday, Jan. 1, an increase that establishes a statewide rate close to $16 for many workers.

The 43-cents-an-hour pay hike to $15.92 occurred automatically because the state Constitution requires annual cost-of-living adjustments to ensure New Jersey’s minimum hourly wage keeps pace with annual rates of inflation. ...

New Jersey is one of more than a dozen states that have such indexing rules on the books, according to Business for a Fair Minimum Wage...

By Sean Salai
Washington Times, January 2, 2026

Hourly workers in 19 states will receive salary bumps in their next paychecks ...

“State and local minimum wage increases are crucial, wherever they are possible, as the federal minimum wage falls further and further behind the cost of living,” Holly Sklar, CEO of the advocacy group Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, said in a statement shared Friday with The Washington Times.

Ms. Sklar said regular wage increases foster economic growth, reduce employee turnover and mitigate the rising costs of living for these workers.

Since 2009...

By Jelani Gibson | NJ Advance Media
NJ.com/ Star Ledger, January 2, 2026

The federal minimum wage has not increased in more than 15 years. But New Jersey just hiked its minimum pay — again. New Jersey’s minimum wage increased by 43 cents to $15.92 per hour on Jan. 1. ...

Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, an organization of business owners that supports the wage increase, said higher pay benefits everyone.

“Higher wages strengthen the economy — workers have more buying power and businesses see more consumer demand,” said Mitch Cahn, a member of...

By Jessica Roy
San Francisco Chronicle, January 1, 2026

Low-wage workers across California are set to get a raise in the new year. ... Starting Jan. 1, the minimum wage in California will be $16.90. ...

Some municipalities in California have higher wage floors. San Francisco is one of them: The hourly minimum wage in the city is $19.18 an hour and is not set to increase again until July. For some industries, California sets the wage floor higher as well: Certain California health care workers earn a minimum of $24 an hour, and fast...

By Jonathan Lieber
KRCG-TV (CBS), December 30, 2025

JEFFERSON CITY — In November 2024, Missourians voted to pass a ballot initiative that increase the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026.

With the wage increase, Missouri will have one of the highest minimum wages of its eight bordering states. Illinois increased its $15 per hour minimum wage on Jan 1, 2025, while Nebraska will also increase its minimum wage to $15 per hour on Jan 1, 2026. ...

"Any thing you can do to increase health, flexibility and spending power of the population...

By Payton Busselman
KOMU 8, December 30, 2025

COLUMBIA — Missouri's minimum wage will increase to $15 starting Thursday ... Some Columbia business owners said that the minimum wage increase will help their business and the economy, while other business leaders say it will hurt small businesses.

Starting Jan. 1, the minimum wage will change from $13.75 to $15, as set forth in Proposition A, which voters approved in the November 2024 general election. Proposition A passed by 57.6%.

Business For a Fair Minimum Wage issued a news release on Tuesday that said the increased minimum wage...

By Jelani Gibson | NJ Advance Meda
Nj.com/ Star Ledger, Dec. 30, 2025. Also The Times of Trenton, South Jersey Times.

New Jersey workers will be ringing in the New Year with an increased minimum wage. The minimum wage will increase by 43 cents to $15.92 per hour on Jan. 1, under the state’s law. ...

Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, an organization of business owners that supports the wage increase, said higher pay benefits everyone.

“Higher wages strengthen the economy — workers have more buying power and businesses see more consumer demand,” said...

By Jordyn Hermani
Bridge Michigan, December 29, 2025. Also Bridge Detroit, Iron Mountain Daily News, Manchester Mirror, WOOD-FM iHeartRadio, Daily Press 

LANSING  — Michigan’s minimum wage will jump by $1.25 an hour on Thursday under a new state law that sped up planned base rate increases but scaled back a bigger bump for tipped workers. The minimum wage will climb from $12.48 to $13.73 an hour on Jan. 1.  ... Wage increases are scheduled to continue in future years, with the standard minimum wage hitting $15 in 2027 and then being tied to inflation....

Business Owners Welcome Jan. 1 Minimum Wage Increases
Buffalo Criterion, December 28, 2025

Nineteen states will raise their minimum wage on New Year’s Day to ring in 2026. Three other states and the District of Columbia have increases scheduled later in the year. Business owners across the country are welcoming the increases, saying they will enable customers to afford more of their products and services and strengthen local economies. Increased wages will also reduce costly employee turnover, boost productivity and improve customer service. ...

“Wage increases are a vital part of the solution to the...

Partial Reprint of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage Press Release as opinion piece.

Pagosa Daily Post (CO), December 26, 2025

Nineteen states will raise their minimum wage on New Year’s Day to ring in 2026. Three other states and the District of Columbia have increases scheduled later in the year. Business owners across the country are welcoming the increases, saying they will enable customers to afford more of their products and services and strengthen local economies. Increased wages will also reduce costly employee turnover, boost productivity and improve customer service.

Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maine...

By Lisa Jennings
Restaurant Business, Dec. 22, 2025. Also American Recruiters

With the new year comes a round of minimum wage increases. Nineteen states will see a wage bump on Jan. 1, 2026. ...

A network of business owners known as Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, however, welcomes the wage hikes, saying putting more money in the pockets of consumers will increase spending, strengthen local economies and reduce employee turnover.

“Wage increases are a vital part of the solution to the affordability crisis,” said Holly Sklar, CEO of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage...

St. Louis/Southern Illinois Labor Tribune, Dec. 18, 2025

On Jan. 1, Missouri’s minimum wage will increase from $13.75 to $15 – as approved by Missouri voters through Proposition A. Business owners across the state are welcoming the increases, saying they will enable customers to afford more of their products and services and strengthen the economy. Increased wages will also reduce costly employee turnover, boost productivity and improve customer service. ...

Erik Milan, owner of Stick It In Your Ear music store in Springfield, Missouri, said, “We welcome Missouri’s minimum wage increase to $15. When...

By Jelani Gibson, NJ Advance Media
NJ.com/ Star Ledger, Dec. 17, 2025. Also Yahoo News, Lehigh Valley Live, New Jersey News Room, Express Times (Easton, PA), CPA Practice Advisor, WJRZ-FM, WRAT 95.9, WMTR AM-1250, Magic 98.3, WDHA FM, more

New Jersey workers are getting a pay bump. The state’s minimum wage will rise by 43 cents to $15.92 per hour on Jan. 1, continuing a steady climb that began under Gov. Phil Murphy. ...

Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, an organization of business owners that supports the wage increase, said higher pay benefits everyone...

Partial Reprint of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage Press Release

Yonkers Times, December 16, 2025

Nineteen states will raise their minimum wage on New Year’s Day to ring in 2026. Three other states and the District of Columbia have increases scheduled later in the year. Business owners across the country are welcoming the increases, saying they will enable customers to afford more of their products and services and strengthen local economies. Increased wages will also reduce costly employee turnover, boost productivity and improve customer service. 

Arizona, Colorado, Florida (later in the year), Maine, Missouri and Nebraska will...