The minimum wage is set to be increased by $1 in New Jersey once the new year begins, SFGate.com reported.
Six in ten voters approved of the increase from $7.25 to $8.25 per hour in November. The raise also guarantees the possibility of future increases in the minimum wage due to an increase in living costs.
According to New Jersey Policy Perspective, around 254,000 workers will see a boost in their paycheck come January. The think tank added most of the workers are adults, not minors.
New Jersey is one of several other states increasing their minimum wage at the start of 2014. The following states will increase their wages to these amounts:
Arizona - $7.90
Colorado - $8.00
Connecticut - $8.70
Florida - $7.93
Missouri - $7.50
Montana - $7.90
New Jersey - $8.25
New York - $8.00
Ohio - $7.95
Oregon - $9.10
Rhode Island - $8.00
Vermont - $8.73
Washington - $9.32
Additionally, President Barack Obama had expressed his support in a national increase and at least 11 other states and the District of Columbia are considering increases within the next year, according to the National Employment Law Project (NELP). However, Congress has not made progress on any agreement.
The current federal requirement for minimum wage in every state is $7.25 per hour.
"2014 is poised to be a turning point," said NELP policy analyst Jack Temple. "States are seeing the unemployment rate is going down but job growth is disproportionately concentrated in low-wage industries. (They're) frustrated that Congress is dragging its feet."
In Minnesota, the House of Representatives and Senate both passed a bill to raise the minimum wage despite failing to do so in the past.
"You're coming out of a deep recession, and people are landing jobs, but they're low-paid," said state Rep. Ryan Winkler, who supported the House legislation.
