On July 1st, eighteen states and locales will see mid-year minimum wage hikes.
Ten cities in California alone will see minimum wage increases, despite evidence that previous minimum wage increases have decreased employment opportunities in industries with a higher percentage of low-wage workers. An Employment Policies Institute study found that roughly 400,000 jobs will be lost by the time California’s statewide minimum wage reaches $15 in 2022.
Emeryville and San Francisco will see their minimum wages increase to $15.69 and $15.00, respectively. This will only compound recent struggles of bay area businesses. Economists from Harvard, using data from Yelp, found a 14-percent increase in business closures following each $1 increase in the minimum wage.
With the possibility of reduced hours and business closures, entrepreneurs and entry level workers will have the most to lose on July 1st. EPI has ensured that employees and business owners have a platform to share how these dramatic minimum wage hikes have impacted their livelihoods, by chronicling over 100 instances of job loss and other consequences at Facesof15.com.