New Data Brief Shows Wyoming Would Benefit from Minimum Wage Increase

According to a new data brief recently released by the Wyoming Community Foundation, Wyoming and the families who live in the state would benefit greatly from an increase in the state’s minimum wage. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

Wyoming’s current state minimum wage of $5.15 an hour is tied only with Georgia as the lowest in the nation. Information in a new data brief from the Wyoming Community Foundation shows that raising Wyoming’s minimum wage to $12 an hour would directly and positively impact Wyoming, its families, and its workers. Community Foundation Chief Operating Officer Samin Dadelahi says that minimum wages, both state and federal, need to be adjusted. She said approximately 8,500 workers in the state earn the federal minimum wage and they struggle to cover the costs of basic needs and often must seek additional work or make use of government assistance to get by. The report shows that 63 percent of low-wage workers, those earning less than $15 an hour – are parents.

The data brief also notes that the minimum wage was never intended to serve as a starter wage or a wage to be utilized for supplementary income. It was created to lift people out of poverty and kickstart a flagging economy. The report states that by raising the minimum wage to $12 an hour, more families will move out of poverty in Wyoming. It’s estimated that over 29,000 Wyomingites would benefit from such an increase. Additionally, the data suggest that raising the minimum wage is not only good for families, but good for the state as well. It can reduce taxpayer spending on public assistance programs and lead to higher worker morale and productivity. The data brief can be viewed here.