Minimum wage laws were created to ensure that workers are guaranteed a basic income that will help them meet their needs. However, living wage figures often differ from minimum wage provisions.
Workers in Delaware saw lawmakers' support when the state legislature voted in 2014 to raise the state's minimum wage from $7.75 to $8.25 per hour.
The increase took effect in 2015 and put Delaware's minimum wage rate $1 above the federal requirement of $7.25.
The new rate meant that a person making minimum wage and clocking a 40-hour workweek would earn $18,480 annually.
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Although the boost to the minimum wage was a significant help to Delaware's lowest income earners, there was still a wide gap between minimum wage and living wage rates.
In a study conducted at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the average living wage for the state of Delaware was $11.68 for a single adult.
The MIT report provides data for individuals, couples, and families. The elements that determine cost of living include the basics: food, shelter, medical care, child care, transportation, and other expenses.
MIT researchers determined that households with two adults and three children needed both adults employed full time to earn at least $18.04 per hour to meet the living wage standard.
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