Federal Minimum Wage Was Last Increased on July 24th, 2009

One of the promises that President Biden made when running for President was that his Administration would raise the federal minimum wage to $15/hour.

The current federal minimum wage is $7.25, and it has been that way since 2009.

On July 24th, 2009, the federal minimum wage was increased to $7.25 from $6.55 for all covered, nonexempt workers. This increase applied to all non-exempt US states and territories.

The federal minimum wage was first established via the 1938 Act on October 24th, 1938.

The federal minimum wage was initially set at $0.25, which is around $5/hour in 2021 dollars.

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There is a federal minimum wage, though states and even cities can set their own minimum wages as well.

The minimum wage that an employer pays is generally the highest of the three.

A total of 29 states, and D.C., have their own minimum wages, and many cities have established their own minimum wage laws.

A number of states, including Texas, have their minimum wage set at the same as the federal minimum wage, while a handful of states don't have any minimum wage laws on their books.

Many states have special wage rates for tipped workers, though the combined income of these workers must at least match the federal or state (or municipality) minimum wages.

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California has the highest state minimum wage at $14/hour, followed closely by Washington state at $13.69/hour.

San Francisco, for instance, has a minimum wage of $16.07 per hour. With the state having a minimum wage of $14/hour and with the country having a federal minimum wage of $7.25, businesses in San Francisco must pay a minimum wage of $16.07, though unions are exempt.

The city of Seattle currently has the highest local minimum wage, as it currently sits at $!6.69 per hour.

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If a state or city doesn't have a minimum wage law on the books, they must adhere to the federal rate of $7.25/hour.

Filed under: General Knowledge