Wisconsin Proposes $15 Minimum Wage

Late last month, lawmakers at the Wisconsin State Capitol proposed to raise the state’s minimum wage to US$15 per hour with a scheduled path to reach $20 per hour by 2030.

Under this bill, the minimum wage would increase to $15 per hour upon enactment, then rise by $1.25 annually until it reaches $20 per hour in 2030. After that, it would be indexed to inflation. 

The proposed bill would also allow local municipalities to pass a higher local minimum wage, something that is currently outlawed in the state, the Center Square reported. The bill provides small business owners, who employ 50 or fewer workers, more time to transition to the new wage floor, Urban Milwaukee reported.

Wisconsin’s minimum wage matches the federal minimum wage and has remained the same for 17 years at $7.25 hourly, a CBS news affiliate reported. Wisconsin’s minimum wage is lower than the minimum wages in neighboring states of Minnesota, Michigan, and Illinois.

The Wisconsin State Assembly had what was expected to be their final session of the year, so it’s not likely this bill would be taken up this year. However, with Democrats having a chance to win control of one or both chambers after this upcoming election cycle, this could be one of the proposals pushed in 2027.

As CMM previously reported, U.S. families residing in half the nation must earn $30 an hour, or roughly $53,000 per year after taxes, to maintain a living wage.