Some of us are born to be low wage earners. So was Carrie Underwood, but her dream came true with winning a national contest and becoming a million dollar artist.
Connecticut April 27 2012: The house approved the bill that would raise the minimum wage with 50 cents over the next two years. It now awaits action in the state Senate.
Missouri April 26 2012: Initiative seeking to raise the minimum wage is a step closer to making the ballot after a state judge upheld the summary that voters would see.
California April 25 2012: San Jose voters to decide on minimum wage increase in November. The proposal would raise the rate from $8 to $10 per hour with yearly inflation indexation.
California April 24 2012: Lawmakers want to tie minimum wage to consumer price index. The indexing would be expected to hike the minimum wage about 14 cents next January. AB 1439 passed the Assembly's Labor and Employment Committee last week. It now goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
USA April 16 2012: Oklahoma based Hobby Lobby stores raises minimum wage to $13 per hour. The increase will affect more than 15000 employees nationwide.
USA April 16 2012: The national minimum wage of $7.25 is lower than it was in 2004 after inflation is taken in to account, even after it increases later this year.
New York April 4 2012: Raising the minimum wage has broad support among New Yorkers: 78% of the voters favor a hike in the $7.25 hourly wage. Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver wants to boost the pay to $ 8.50 with automatic raises tied to inflation.
Connecticut March 15 2012: A bill that would raise the Connecticut minimum wage to $9 an hour beginning in July and then up to $9.75 next year, is going to the Joint Committee on Labor and Public Employes. If it passes it will go to the House.
New Jersey March 12 2012: A bill to set a state minimum wage for tipped workers was approved by the Assembly Labor Committee. Under the bill tipped workers would get a minimum wage of at least 40% of the minimum wage in June ($2.90 per hour) adn 69% of it next year June ($5 per hour).
New Jersey March 9 2012: The Senate Labor Committee passed a plan to raise the NJ minimum wage by $1.25.
New Jersey Feb. 24, 2012: N.J. assembly panel backs higher minimum wage to $8.50, boost of $1.25. The Senate Labor Committee hopes to schedule it before July 1.
Iowa Feb. 16 2012: An Iowa Senate panel, dominated by Democrats, approved a measure to raise Iowa's minimum wage to $10 an hour, but supporters acknowledge the proposal has no change of passing the the Republican controlled House.
Arizona Feb. 16 2012: Arizona legislature wants to pay workers under 20 years less than the minimum wage. Currently it is $7.65, but if approved by voters it will be $4.65 for young workers.
Florida Feb. 16 2012: Senate panel approves the bill (SB2106) to reduce the minimum wage for tipped workers.
Florida Feb. 7 2012: The Florida Senate is considering a plan to reduce the Florida minimum wage for tipped workers from $4.64 to the federal minimum wage level of $2.13, provided that businesses guarantee that their workers will earn at least $9.98 per hours after tips.
South Dakota Feb 5 2012: Lawmakers discussing to raise the South Dakota minimum wage from $7.25 to $8 per hour.
New York Feb.2 2012: A former intern at Harper's Bazaar is suing the magazine's publisher, Hearst Corporation, saying that her internship violates labor laws because it was unpaid, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court in New York.
Connecticut Feb 1 2012: Democrate state law makers are calling for an increase in Connecticut's minimum wage, from $8.25 to $9 per hour this year, and $9.75 next year.
Washington Feb 1 2012: Bills aimed at lowering the Washington minimum wage for workers earning tips have been sent back. The measures missed their chance at going to vote at a House committee and have no shot at making the key deadline to move further.
New York Jan.29 2012: Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver, a Manhattan Democrat, proposing a bill to raise the New York minimum wage from 7.27 to $8.50 per hour. The measure enjoys the support from Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Cuomo.
Delaware Jan. 27 2012: Senate approves a Delaware minimum wage hike, from $7.25 to $8.25 an hour in two steps over the next two years. The bill goes to the House for approval.
Hawaii Jan. 25 2012: A bill moving through the state Legislature could increase Hawaii's minimum wage for the first time since 2007 from $7.25 to $8.14 starting Jan. 1 2013. The bill also mandates adjustment for inflation at the start of each fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013 - that would hike the minimum wage further to $8.25.
New Jersey Jan.22 2012: Democratic leaders are expected to push for an increase in the New Jersey minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 per hour.
