The minimum wage in Wisconsin is the same as the federal minimum wage, or $7.25 per hour. As in many other states, it’s been a source of controversy in recent years as a growing number of people urge lawmakers to raise the minimum wage in Wisconsin.
The following are a few of the most notable facts about Wisconsin’s minimum wage:
1. It was last raised in 2009.
As noted by the website Mediatrackers, the minimum wage in Wisconsin was last increased in 2009, when it was raised to $7.25 per hour.
As the U.S. Department of Labor noted, this was a federally mandated increase that took effect across the nation. It was not a state increase.
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2. It’s not considered a living wage by some economic experts. Though federal law requires a minimum wage, this doesn’t mean that this amount is enough to allow people to become self-sufficient, or what’s called a living wage.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology broke down living wages for all 50 states, determining that a single adult would need to make $10.13 per hour to earn a living wage in Wisconsin. The living wage is even higher for someone who has children. An adult with one child, for example, would need to earn $22.38 per hour.
3. Some Wisconsin residents voted to raise the minimum in 2014. In November 2014, a proposal to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 made it to the ballot in 13 counties and cities,
the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel reported. The vote, however, was only to determine the opinion of Wisconsin residents, and was not to authorize an official raise in the state’s minimum wage. While some counties overwhelmingly voted for the increase, the state did not end up changing the wage.
4. Wisconsin’s governor opposes raising the minimum wage.
As the Milwaukee Business Journal noted, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has repeatedly said he is against raising the state’s minimum wage. Instead, he wants to focus on enhancing education programs, such as those at technical colleges, that can help people secure higher-paying jobs.
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