While that's great news for the almost 10 million workers affected, 20 other states still pay minimum-wage workers the federal rate of $7.25 an hour.

Minimum-wage workers in 22 states are going to see more money in their paychecks in the new year.

Those increases will affect an estimated 9.9 million workers, according to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), which estimates that those bumped wages will add up to an additional $6.95 billion in pay.

In addition to those 22 states, 38 cities and counties will also increase their minimum wages above state minimums on Jan. 1.

According to the Department of Labor, 20 states will maintain the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

And according to EPI, of the 17.6 million workers earning less than $15 an hour, nearly half live in those 20 states that continue to stick to the federal minimum wage — which has not changed since 2009.

The cost of living, however, has skyrocketed.

  • @Meltrax
    40•9 months ago

    40hr/week all year is $15,059.20 at a wage of $7.25/hr, by the way.

    • @Potatos_are_not_friends
      28•9 months ago

      Really important to always do this math.

      Because minwage is so far below even basic living.

      • Prethoryn Overmind
        7•9 months ago

        I don’t know why but I read, “really important to always do this METH.” and I was like, “well if you are only making 15,000+ a year then I wouldn’t blame them.”