The nonprofit organization that advocates for the poor found that Florida had the seventh-highest percentage of workers who would benefit from a higher minimum wage, mostly because the state has many workers in low-wage service sector and hospitality jobs. Florida’s current minimum wage of $7.93 per hour is adjusted annually based on inflation.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25. Oxfam said increasing it to $10.10 would help 25 million people nationally and boost their income by about $32.6 billion.
"This additional income will lift more than five million Americans out of poverty—and it will go right back into and strengthen local economies,” Oxfam President Raymond Offenheiser said in a news release.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is among the business groups that oppose a higher minimum wage because it would increase costs to employers, especially small business owners. Analysts also estimate it could lead to price increases for consumers.
Arkansas ranked first at 25.2 percent of workers benefiting from the wage hike, while Alaska was last at 13.2 percent. Florida was the only state in the top 10 here that voted for Obama in 2012.
Source: South Florida Business Journal
This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.
