(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - On July 1st, the Minimum Wage rose in the States of Alaska, Oregon and in our Nation’s Capital, Washington, D.C. - lifting wages for more than 361,000 Workers and collectively raising their earnings by more than $221 million.

In addition to these two States and Washington, D.C. - 14 Cities and Counties also increased their Minimum Wage this Summer, including Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

These increases continue to be crucial for low-wage Workers as they contend with the affordability crisis.

The average increase in annual wages for a full-time, year-round Worker resulting from these Minimum-Wage hikes ranges from $573 in Oregon to $811 in Alaska.

These pay raises directly boost Workers’ incomes, giving them a leg-up in the race against rising prices - a straightforward example of how policymakers can often more easily tackle affordability challenges through policy decisions that boost wages, such as setting strong wage floors.

A higher Minimum Wage has a positive impact on more than just the Workers who currently earn the Minimum Wage - indirectly affected Workers will see their pay go up too as employers adjust their wage ladders to the new wage floor.

The Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) analysis of the increases in Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C., accounts for these spillover effects and finds:

• Women make up more than half (56.3%) of affected
• The wage increases disproportionately benefit Black and Hispanic Workers. Black Workers make up 15.3% of affected Workers, despite making up 10.4% of the workforce across the three areas. Hispanic Workers make up a similar percentage of the workforce (12.4%) - but make up more than a fourth (26.0%) of affected
• The vast majority (89.3%) of affected Workers are age 20 or older - and more than three in five Workers (62.1%) are 25 or older.
• More than half (52.9%) of the affected Workers work full-time.
• The increases will raise wages for those who need it the most. Half (50.5%) of affected Workers belong to households whose incomes are less than 200% of the poverty line.
• More than one in five (23.6%) of affected Workers are parents.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Seventeen states and localities are increasing their minimum wage this July | Economic Policy Institute