The federal minimum wage in the United States has remained at $7.25 since 2009, although some states have since set a higher rate. But the national debate about a minimum wage increase has begun again. President Biden’s economic stimulus package calls for an increase to $15 an hour and Congress re-introduced the 2019 Raise the Wage Act earlier this week.
Raising the minimum wage could have substantial public health benefits, but it’s unwise to assume they would be felt universally. What does the research say about the potential effects on different sub-populations? It turns out, not much.
In JAMA Health Forum, Austin Frakt and I go into more detail. You can read the full piece here!
