ya, know, maybe not... some background info, perhaps noise to some per
http://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/state-minimum-wage-chart.aspxSummary
Currently, 29 states and D.C. have minimum wages above the federal minimum wage.
2014 highlights: Lawmakers in Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and D.C. enacted increases during the 2014 session, while voters in Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska and South Dakota approved minimum wage increases through ballot measures.
State Legislation
Minimum wage legislation database (2014 and 2015)
LegisBrief (February 2014)
States without: AL, LA, MS, NH (REPEALED IN 2011), SC, TN, ( must affect their lack of good course maintenance or sustainable gca?)
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Labor,
http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm; and state web sites.
Notes to state table presented which shows mainly ~5-9 $/hr range, most every state has a different twist to things..
1 American Samoa: The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-28) sets minimum wage rates within American Samoa and provides for additional increases in the minimum wage of $0.50 per hour each year on May 25, until reaching the minimum wage generally applicable in the United States. The wage rates are set for particular industries, not for an employee's particular occupation. The rates are minimum rates; an employer may choose to pay an employee at a rate higher than the rate(s) for its industry.
2 Connecticut: The Connecticut minimum wage rate automatically increases to 1/2 of 1 percent above the rate set in the Fair Labor Standards Act if the Federal minimum wage rate equals or becomes higher than the State minimum.
3 District of Columbia: In the District of Columbia, the rate is automatically set at $1 above the Federal minimum wage rate if the District of Columbia rate is lower.
4 The Maine minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum with the exception that any such increase is limited to no more than $1.00 per hour above the current legislated State rate.
5 The Massachusetts minimum wage rate automatically increases to 10 cents above the rate set in the Fair Labor Standards Act if the Federal minimum wage equals or becomes higher than the State minimum.
6 Minnesota: With the passage of H.B. 2091 (2014), the annual sales volume threshold was reduced to $500,000. For large employers, with an annual sales volume of $500,000 or more, the minimum wage is $8.00; for small employers, those with an annual sales volume of less than $500,000, the minimum wage is $6.50.
7 Missouri - In addition to the exemption for federally covered employment, the law exempts, among others, employees of a retail or service business with gross annual sales or business done of less than $500,000.
8 Montana: the $4.00 rate applies to businesses with gross annual sales of $110,000 or less; $7.90 applies to all others.
9 Nevada: $8.25 without health benefits; $7.25 with health benefits.
10 Ohio: $7:25 for employers grossing $283,000 or less
11 Oklahoma: Employers of ten or more full time employees at any one location and employers with annual gross sales over $100,000 irrespective of number of full time employees are subject to federal minimum wage; all others are subject to state minimum wage of $2.00 (OK ST T. 40 § 197.5).
12 Puerto Rico: Employers covered by the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are subject to the Federal minimum wage of $7.25. Employers not covered by the FLSA will be subject to a minimum wage that is at least 70 percent of the Federal minimum wage or the applicable mandatory decree rate of $5.08, whichever is higher. The Secretary of Labor and Human Resources may authorize a rate based on a lower percentage for any employer who can show that implementation of the 70 percent rate would substantially curtail employment in that business.
13 Virgin Islands: $4.30 for businesses with gross annual receipts of less than $150,000.
Other Exceptions
Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Puerto Rico, Utah, and Virginia exclude from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
Hawaii, Kansas, and Michigan exclude from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, if the State wage is higher than the Federal wage.
The Georgia state minimum wage is $5.15. Employees covered under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act are subject to the federal minimum wage of $7.25, but those not covered under the FLSA may be paid the state minimum wage of $5.15.
and for full disclosure;
i had a minimum wage job in summer 1968, washing delivery trucks for a commercial uniform laundry business... like $2.00 an hour, that sucked once i learned what FICA meant... so i took a Red Cross Lifeguard class at the Y, and got a $5/hr job.. that was much better.. also learned that min wage jobs are not careers or ever meant to be "life wages," just a place to start and get some experience