News January 18, 2013

Albuquerque Businesses Hurt by Minimum Wage Hike

Last November, voters in Albuquerque, New Mexico approved a ballot measure increasing the city’s minimum wage from $7.50 per hour to $8.50 per hour, or nearly $2,100 a year per employee. On January 1 of this year, the wage hike went into effect; within two weeks, local businesses were already…
News November 13, 2012

Minimum Wages to Rise in at least Ten States and Three Cities in 2013

The Employment Policies Institute announced that ten states and three cities will increase their minimum wages on January 1, 2013.
News October 15, 2012

New Study: The Impact of Citywide Wage & Benefit Mandates

Today, the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) released a new study authored by University of Kentucky economist Aaron Yelowitz, which examines the impact of citywide compensation floors in cities like San Francisco. The study finds that (all else being equal) each additional $1 increase in wage and benefit mandates reduces young…
May 21, 2012

New Analysis: $10 Minimum Wage in San Jose Bad for the City’s Jobseekers

Today, the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) released a new analysis assessing the impact of a proposed ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage in the City of San Jose to $10 an hour and index it for inflation. The City Council will hear testimony on the initiative tomorrow, May 22nd,…
News May 18, 2012

New Analysis: Teen Unemployment Up in 17 States and DC, Down in 32 States

As teens begin their search for summer employment, an analysis of newly-released Census Bureau data by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) shows teen unemployment rose in 17 states and DC between April 2011 and April 2012, and fell in 32 states. It was unchanged in one state. Teen jobless rates still average above 20 percent…
News May 9, 2012

Eliminating the Tipped Wage Rate a Bad Deal for Illinois Restaurant Employees

Today, the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) released a new analysis of Illinois S. 1565, a bill introduced by Sen. Kimberly Lightford, which raises the state minimum wage and eliminates the separate rate for employees who earn tip income. The wage for tipped employees would rise from $4.95 to $8.90 an…
News April 24, 2012

Minimum Wage Employees Aren’t Working 20 Hours a Day to Afford Rent

You’ve probably seen this chart. Perhaps you shared it on Facebook. Taken literally, the chart means that—in a state like New York—people who earn the minimum wage are working almost 20 hours a day, seven days a week, just to put a roof over their head. In the…
News April 16, 2012

New Analysis: New York Wage Increase Unlikely to Reduce Poverty

Today, the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) released a new analysis assessing the impact on poverty of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s proposed minimum wage increase (A.9148). The bill would raise New York’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 per hour and index the wage to rise with inflation in subsequent…
News March 19, 2012

Teen unemployment high, Georgia rate well above national average

By: Gracie Shepard It’s time for teenagers to begin the search for summer jobs, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics it won’t be easy to find one. (…) EPI research fellow Mike Saltsman said there are several factors that contribute to a dearth of available positions for young…
News March 9, 2012

Raising CT’s Minimum Wage Won’t Reduce Poverty

By: Lee Howard  An analysis released Wednesday indicates that a rise in Connecticut’s minimum wage would not significantly reduce the state’s poverty rate. The analysis by the Employment Policies Institute…said the average family income of an employee affected by a minimum wage hike is more than $80,000 a…