Jen will work on legislation to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour.
– Phased in over time, work to ensure employers have time to adjust. The policy paper on Jen’s website includes 5 studies showing that state-level minimum wage increases have no effect on employment levels.
– Current min wage is $11.50. 12.9% of Rhode Islanders live below poverty line, in large part because even a full-time minimum wage job in our state is simply not enough to escape poverty.
– Raising to $15 would mean full-time workers earn $31,000/year ($22,080/year now)
– Improves quality of life, stimulates economy because people can spend more money. Also produces more tax revenue to help resolve our deficit.
