Minimum Wage is Set to rise, But is $14.13 Enough in NJ?

December 28, 2022 | njspotlightnews.org & nj.gov

New Jersey’s minimum wage is set to rise to $14.13 an hour on Jan. 1, an increase of $1.13. But while they acknowledge it’s always good to see people get bigger paychecks, advocates for low-income workers say $14.13 an hour still falls far short of a living wage in New Jersey. “I dare anybody to scroll through Zillow and try to find a place you can live on $14 an hour in New Jersey,” said Sue Altman, executive director of New Jersey Working Families Alliance.

NJ SEED: Most NJ workers’ wages are considerably above the federal and state minimum. While increasing minimum wage mandates are easy votes for legislators the effect has both positive and negative impacts on the economy.