In 2023, the minimum wage in the United States and in Mississippi in particular will remain a hot topic of debate for legislators and citizens. The current minimum wage of $7.25, a rate that has remained unchanged since 2009, is widely criticized as inadequate and outdated. This paper will seek to analyze the policies and forces currently in play that could influence the state and federal minimum wage by the end of 2023.
At the state and local level, Mississippi is currently one of the few states that has yet to pass a minimum wage exceeding the federal rate. The lack of statewide legislation leaves the current $7.25 rate as the standard throughout the entire state. However, a number of individual cities have passed, or are currently pushing, legislation to raise the minimum wage. For example, Jackson, Hattiesburg, and Starkville all have passed ordinances to increase the minimum wage within their respective cities in the near future, though legally these increases are tainted and would additionally require state or federal clearance in order to take effect.
At the federal level, the efforts to increase the minimum wage have been more successful. Despite numerous attempts, Congress has been unable to break the current logjam and pass a nationwide hike. However, president Biden has pushed for an increase of the federal minimum wage to $15. The bill currently being debated by Congress and the White House, entitled the Raise the Wage Act, seeks to gradually increase the federal minimum wage over time to the desired hourly rate of $15. This bill, if passed, could affect Mississippi’s current minimum wage by the end of 2023, as it ties in with the inflation-adjusted rate of the minimum wage.
In conclusion, the minimum wage in the United States and Mississippi, in particular, will be an ongoing conversation throughout 2023. Depending on the success of the Raise the Wage Act, Mississippi’s current rate of $7.25 may be superseded by a higher rate by the end of the year. However, without new legislation, the state minimum wage will remain unchanged, and it remains to be seen how successful the federal legislation will be in the near future.
