These increases are given by legislative requirements that oblige update compensation inflation in 11 States and decisions of legislators and voters in nine more, as well as the District of Columbia where the capital Washington.
According to the Center for Economic Policy Institute studies, these increases will affect nearly 3.1 million workers throughout the country.
At the head of the minimum wage in the United States are now the State of Washington with $9.47, followed by Oregon, with $9.25; Vermont and Connecticut with $9.15; and Massachusetts and Rhode Island with $9.00 each time.
Among the new laws that take effect in January is the increase in minimum wage in 25 states.
Expected salary increases to inject about $1.5 billions of dollars annually to the U.S. economy, the largest in the world, since the low-wage workers tend to spend most of their income.
Last year, President Barack Obama asked a federal minimum wage of $10.10 per hour, but met with a stiff opposition from Republican opponents in Congress and the proposal eventually failed.
This situation has been one of the reasons for confrontation between the White House and the legislature, since President Barack Obama has asked unsuccessfully that minimum pay raise hourly $7.25 to $10.10 on the grounds that it is positive for the economy.
The last time that was revised the federal minimum wage was in 2007.
Not only States but also the Governments of big cities have given a boost to the minimum wage, as it has been the case in San Francisco and Seattle who passed this year rises progressive until the $15 hour in 2017 or Chicago that will reach $13. [banner_abajo]
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