Last Week's Election Results Usher in Higher Minimum Wage in 4 States

Arizona, Colorado, Maine, and Washington Vote to Raise Minimum Wage

Election Day 2016 was not without a surprise or two as Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States following a bitter and divisive campaign against Hillary Clinton. On a statewide level, however, voters showed broad support for increasing the minimum wage. States are increasingly passing their own minimum wage improvements as gridlock continues in Washington and the minimum wage remains stuck at $7.25. On November 8, 2016, Arizona, Colorado, Maine, and Washington each passed their own ballot initiative to increase the states' minimum wage.

In Arizona, voters passed Proposition 206 by an overwhelming 18-point margin. The measure will increase the minimum wage to $12.00 per hour by 2020 and included paid sick leave for workers. In order to put the support for this initiative in context, it received 1,195,027 votes - more votes than Senator John McCain received in his successful bid for reelection to the United States Senate or by Donald Trump who ultimately carried the state.

Next, voters who voted "yes" to Colorado's Amendment 70 and Maine's Question 4 voted to increase the minimum wage in both states to $12.00 by 2020. The initiatives in both states received more votes than than the presidential candidate who carried the state - in this case, Hillary Clinton.

In Washington, voters passed Initiative Measure 1433 which will increase the minimum wage to $13.50 by 2020 and mandate paid sick leave for employees. The state proposal follows in the footsteps of the Seattle's 2015 Minimum Wage Ordinance that raised the minimum wage from $9.47 to $11 and phased in a $15.00 minimum wage for businesses employing 500 or less employees by 2017 and by 2021 for employers employing more than 500 employees.

In all four states, the minimum wage will adjust for cost of living after 2020.

Questions About the New Minimum Wage Increases and Your Right to Recover Unpaid Wages?

Contact us today to learn more about your rights and to schedule a free consultation. Find out why workers throughout Chicagoland turn to us to help recover unpaid overtime and minimum wages.