EPI found that more than nine million U.S. workers received pay increases due to state and local minimum wage hikes, totaling $5.7 billion from 2024 to 2025.
Sebastian Martinez Hickey from EPI noted that, despite stagnation at the federal level, state lawmakers acknowledged the need to lift wages, exemplified by California's $20 minimum wage for fast food workers.
Mark Kalinowski indicated that California's minimum wage laws led to an 8.3% increase in prices at popular chains, illustrating the delicate balance between wage increases and consumer costs.
In response to rising labor costs, some businesses have made drastic moves; Pizza Hut franchisees eliminated delivery driver positions, while Rubio's Coastal Grill closed 48 locations.
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