Business Report: New figures on Hawaii’s minimum wage
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -There have been many stories about small businesses that worry a higher minimum wage will harm them. For balance, a report from the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice. The current minimum wage is $10.10 an hour - or roughly $21,000 per year. Raising it to $17 by 2024 would directly impact 208,000 workers. The assumption is that it will indirectly impact 61,000 people making slightly more than minimum. 56% of local MW earners are women; 48% of women affected. 46% of Native Hawaiian workers and 64% of Pacific Islanders, affected. Teens make up less than 5% of minimum wage earners. Two thirds of minimum wage earners are in retail; and more than 80% of food service workers. Low-wage workers plow every penny back into the economy.
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