Every hardworking New Yorker deserves the opportunity to climb the economic ladder. Putting families first means putting them on a path towards financial independence, and no one working a full-time job should live in poverty. That is why the Assembly fought tirelessly to establish a meaningful plan for sustainable wage growth in New York.

In 2016, the State Legislature enacted legislation that scheduled annual wage increases for workers all across the state. These increases went into effect on December 31^st. With the new year, wages have risen to $12 an hour for workers in Suffolk, Nassau, and Westchester Counties; $15 an hour for workers employed by large businesses in New York City; $13.50 an hour for workers employed by small businesses in New York City; and $11.10 for workers across the rest of the state.

One of the biggest challenges facing hardworking New Yorkers as they attempt to get ahead and build a better life has been a lack of rising wages. In fact, the average wage has had roughly the same purchasing power it did 40 years ago. Meanwhile, necessary costs like health insurance have risen much higher than worker pay, putting families further behind.^[1]

Research shows that minimum wage increases not only help families, they help the economy. States that raised their minimum wage saw inflation-adjusted hourly wages rise faster as well as faster employment growth in low-wage sectors like retail and hospitality.^[2] Minimum wage increases also help level the playing field for women, who make up a majority of minimum wage earners nationally and are increasingly their family’s breadwinner.^[3],[4]

Raising the minimum wage was much needed and long overdue. For years, workers have been making less while their bills increase. Unequal wealth distribution exacerbates this problem. On average, New York’s top 1 percent brings home $2.2 million annually, while the bottom 99 percent makes $49,617.^[5] Closing this gap means putting economic power back into the hands of everyday people working hard to provide for their loved ones.
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