Sacramento Head Start Alumni Association

Minimum Wage Increases Bring Real Wage Gains To Workers

Oct 18, 2002

New research suggests that a higher minimum wage has a positive impact on earnings for California's low wage workers, without a loss of jobs. While recent increases in the minimum wage rate have reversed a decline in earnings at the low end of the wage distribution, the purchasing power of the minimum wage remains below its value prior to 1982, and is insufficient for either a single person or family to achieve a modest standard of living. In a companion piece, the CBP answers common questions regarding the impact of the minimum wage.

To view this publication, click on "What's New" on the California Budget Project web site at http://www.cbp.org.