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National Employment Law Project (NELP)

National Employment Law Project (NELP)

Worker Advocacy Organization

Appears in 1 story

Stories

The $15 tipping point: states bypass Congress on wage floors

Rule Changes

Research and policy arm supporting Fight for $15 and state legislation

On January 1, 2026, nineteen states raised their minimum wages—some by pennies, others by dollars—while Congress let the federal floor sit untouched at $7.25 for the sixteenth straight year. Washington state now leads at $17.13 an hour. Missouri and Nebraska hit $15. Hawaii jumped $2 in one leap. The increases will pump $5 billion into the pockets of 8.3 million workers this year.

Updated Jan 30