Q: Are there any new laws or regulations which interest you?
Yes – the $15/hr minimum wage movement.
More and more cities, counties and states are adopting the $15 minimum wage law. Many politicians have pointed out that the price of goods might increase because of the wage increase, and that only high school and college students work minimum wage jobs, so there is no need for their wage to increase, as they usually live with their parents. But this just isn’t true.
There are many, many working adults who are trying to support their families on minimum wage jobs, and they should absolutely be paid a wage that is high enough for them to pay their rent and buy groceries, clothing, and pay for medical expenses. Currently, our federal minimum wage is only $7.25 per hour, before taxes. In the vast majority of cities around the country, if you work 40 hours per week at this wage (this is considered full time), it is NOT enough to pay rent and buy groceries for even a family of 2. Many people in my city work 2 or 3 jobs because of this.
Our federal minimum wage has not increased since early 2009 – more than 10 years ago – yet the cost of living increases every year. Since the federal government will not make this correction, it’s important for states and cities to make it themselves. In my area, many larger cities have passed this law in their city limits, because the state won’t make the correction. For example, the city of Seattle has a mandatory minimum wage of $16.50 -18.69 per hour, but the state minimum wage is $15.74 per hour.
（和訳）
Q: 興味を引く新しい法律はありますか？
A: あるわ。最低賃金を時給１５ドルにする動きよ。
最低賃金を時給１５ドルにする法律を採用している市、郡、州が増えているの。多くの政治家が、賃金の上昇により物価が上がること、最低賃金で働くのは高校生と大学生だけであり、彼らは親と同居しているので賃金を上げる必要はないと主張してきたわ。でも実際はそうではないの。
最低賃金の仕事で家族を養おうとしてる大人の労働者はたくさんいて、彼らには、家賃や食料品、衣類、医療費が支払えるだけの十分な賃金が当然支払われなくてはならないわ。現在、米国政府の最低賃金は時給7.25ドル（税引前）。全国の都市の大半で、この賃金で週40時間（これはフルタイムと考える）働いても、二人家族でさえ家賃と食糧品の支払いに十分でないの。このため、私の街の多くの人が２つか３つの仕事を掛け持ちしているわ。
米国最低賃金は2009年初め、10年以上前から上がっていないけれど、生活費は毎年上がっているの。米国政府はこの是正を行おうとしないので、州や市自身が是正することが重要なの。私の地域では、州が是正しようとしないので、多くの大きな都市が市の制限内で法律を通過させたわ。例えば、シアトル市は法定最低賃金は時給16.50ドル～18.69ドルだけど、州の最低賃金は、時給15.74ドルよ。
