$15 Minimum Wage Push

Louisiana's state minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour. This is the same as the current Federal Minimum Wage rate. The minimum wage applies to most employees in Louisiana, with limited exceptions including tipped employees, some student workers, and other exempt occupations. The Louisiana minimum wage was last changed in 2008, when it was raised $0.70 from $6.55 to $7.25. 20 states have raised their minimum wage effective Jan. 1, and at least 4 more will do so in the coming months. And now under a new administration, the federal minimum wage is poised to get it's first update in more than a decade. President Joe Biden has said he will ask Congress to boost the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour from the current $7.25 per hour. The federal minimum wage has not been increased since 2009. Currently California has the highest in the country at $14 per hour (excluding Washington D.C.'s $15 hourly minimum wage). Massachusetts and Washington are close behind, with $13.50 per hour and $13.69 per hour, respectively. The full list of states to see a wage increase as of Jan. 1 include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont, and Washington state. Connecticut, Nevada, Oregon and Virginia will all increase their minimum wage later in the year.