New Jersey’s minimum wage rose again last week to $15.92 from $15.49, further extending the already double lead over Pennsylvania, writes Ariana Perez-Castells for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The new rate represents a $0.43 increase from the previous minimum, established last year.
“This increase will provide vital support to all Garden State workers by making the dream of a livable wage reality,” said Robert Asaro-Angelo, commissioner of the state’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
New Jersey lawmakers adopted legislation in 2019 with the goal of raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2024. When the legislation was enacted, the minimum wage in New Jersey was $8.85 per hour.
In contrast, Pennsylvania’s minimum wage has stayed at $7.25 per hour since 2009, despite repeated attempts to increase it over the years. The minimum wage in Pennsylvania continues to be the same as the federal minimum wage, which has not changed and remains at $7.25 per hour.
Gov. Josh Shapiro has expressed support for raising the minimum wage, and last year, Rep. G. Roni Green and Sen. Christine Tartaglione introduced state legislation aimed at increasing the standard, with both bills referred to legislative committees last April.
Read more about the minimum wage increase in New Jersey and how it compares to Pennsylvania’s in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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