The Writing is on the Wall: A $15 Minimum Wage Edges Toward the New Normal

Executive Summary: As Democrats take over the House of Representatives this month, some will be pushing to increase the federal minimum wage, which has remained stagnant at $7.25 per hour for the past decade. Not content to wait for Congress, the “Fight for 15” movement has scored victories throughout the country by increasing wages locally. Many states and localities will be or have already begun raising the minimum wage incrementally until they reach $15. Against this shifting backdrop, employers with operations in multiple cities need to be aware of different minimum wage rates that may be applicable in certain localities, even if such rates differ from those in the rest of the state.