Photo: Aurelia Ventura / Real America News
For: Manuel Ocaño, special for Real America News
Tuesday, November 19
This Saturday increases the minimum wage to $ 15 in California, but they already propose to raise it to $ 18 per hour
Benjamin knows that this Saturday the minimum wage is going to increase in California, but he says he has doubts that it will be enough to cover all his expenses.
“I have two jobs, both of which are going to increase me a dollar per hour worked, but at the same time they are going to increase my rent and now I am going to have to pay more for it. health insurance ”, the Mexican immigrant did the math.
According to his calculations, the 2022 will be another year in which he will not be able to rent an apartment by himself; You will have to share a home if you want to cover the other regular expenses of the month.
“From what I see, most people, at least the ones I know personally, walk the same as me: we do need more salary, but we also need less expenses, and that is where the difficult thing is, because in general we only spend on the essentials ”, he said.
This Saturday , January 1st California minimum rises from $ 13 to $ 15 dollars per hour for companies that have at most 25 employees, and 15 dollars per hour for companies that have 25 or more employees.
The increase corresponds to a gradual increase that started in 2014 and which will conclude next year. In January of 2023 all California employees will earn at least $ 15 dollars per hour.
With the increase that begins this Saturday, those who earn the minimum and work full time have $ 2, 688 monthly if they receive $ 14 for hour, and $ 2, 880 if they receive $ 15 per hour. In both cases before deducting taxes.
In the 2023 Everyone will have approximately 2, 880 dollars a month before taxes, which many consider to be fulfills its demand to “fight for the 15 ”, For the 15 dollars per hour.
With this salary, the process of gradual increase to the minimum salary concludes to reach $ 15 dollars per hour worked.
But now on the eve of reaching that goal, he has A proposal has arisen that considers that the minimum must reach the 18 per hour.
This month in Los Angeles an initiative emerged that to get the necessary support votes from voters will be presented in the elections of November, and if approved it will continue gradual increases to the minimum wage until reaching $ 18 dollars per hour in the 2025.
The proposal ” Living Wage Act of 2022 ”aims to“ ensure that workers receive a wage that is sufficient for them and their families ”.
It says that currently 6.3 million Californians lack sufficient income to cover their basic needs.
It maintains that “many workers in California, including essential workers, parents, and older than 65 years they have full-time jobs and yet they struggle to make ends meet “what they earn.
The initiative also says that many Californians work full time, But they have to rely on the state social assistance network to cover needs.
Proposal mentions research saying that a parent of two minor children currently in California would need to earn $ 50 dollars per hour, not $ 15 per hour that is the current goal.
Warns that, if the gradual increases to the minimum wage are stopped, they will erode due to the increase in the cost of living .
The initiative also considers that, with the increase to a minimum, this January 1st for many workers, the increase will be counterproductive, as it will no longer will allow them to meet the income requirements they need to receive assistance from the state MediCal program.
The author of the initiative, businessman Joe Sanberg, said that the increases to the minimum should not stop with the 2023 in $ 15 dollars for workers earning the minimum overall.
He said the minimum should increase as follows:
January 1, 2023 $ 15 dollars for companies that have 25 employees or less and $ 16 dollars per hour for those who have at least 26 employees.
In January of 2024 $ 16 dollars per hour for small businesses and $ 17 for those with more of 25 employees.
In the 2025 $ 18 dollars per hour for companies with a maximum of 25 workers, and $ 18 for those who have 26 or more employees.
January 1, 2026, $ 18 dollars per hour for all workers who earn the minimum wage in California, regardless of the size of the staff of the company where they work.