加州州长纽瑞姆宣布该州最低工资将从2025年1月1日起上调至17.40美元[1]，较现行的16.90美元标准提高[1]。这一调整将使加州成为全美最低工资标准最高的州[1]。纽瑞姆在宣布中直言，"如果你努力工作，你应该得到体面的薪水。他们认为7.25美元一小时就足够了。我们不这样认为"[1]，矛头指向阻止联邦最低工资上调的共和党人[1]。
联邦最低工资自乔治·W·布什任期后便保持在7.25美元不变[1]。相比之下，包括加州在内的30个州及华盛顿特区已制定高于联邦标准的最低工资[1]。华盛顿州的最低工资到2027年也将达到17.13美元[1]。根据MIT研究，加州一个四口之家（两名成人工作者和两名子女）每位成人需要月收入36.38美元才能维持基本生活[1]。
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state's minimum wage will rise to $17.40 per hour effective January 1, 2025, making it the highest state minimum wage in the nation.[1] The increase represents a significant jump from the current California minimum wage of $16.90 per hour.[1]
In making the announcement, Newsom criticized the Trump administration and Republicans for blocking a federal minimum wage increase, arguing that workers deserve fair compensation.[1] "If you work hard, you should get a decent wage. They think $7.25 an hour is enough. We don't," Newsom stated.[1] The federal minimum wage, set at $7.25 per hour, has remained unchanged since the George W. Bush administration.[1] Washington State is poised to establish a minimum wage of $17.13 per hour by 2027, positioning it as a competitor to California's standard.[1]
The action reflects a broader trend across the country, with 30 states plus Washington, D.C. having already established minimum wages above the federal threshold.[1] According to MIT research cited by the governor, a four-person household in California with two working adults requires each adult to earn approximately $36.38 per month to meet basic living expenses, underscoring the rationale behind the state's continued wage increases.[1]