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First Minimum Wage Law in the World
New Zealand becomes the first nation in the world to enact minimum wage legislation. -
First American State Wage
Masschussetts becomes the first state to enact a minimum wage. -
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More States Follow
Six more states enact wage laws. -
DC losses MW
The Supreme Court rules that Washington, DC's laws are unconstitutional, the first in a series of downturns for wages. -
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More States Lose Wages
Even more states and territories begin to lose MW protections. -
'New Deal' Legislation
A series of bills proposed by Roosevelt are released and enacted in the early stages of the National Recovery Administration in an effort to restabilize American workers. -
Opposition by Congress
The NRA (Nat. Recovery Admin.) is dismantled by Congress, deregulating labor standards. -
Supreme Court Interference
In the Parrish case, the Supreme Court votes to uphold the Washington state minimum wage, the first in an upswing of such federal protection. -
Men's Wages
Oklahoma becomes the first state to regulate men's pay. Previously, legislation had only been enacted to protect the disabled, women, and young workers. -
Federal Wage Officially Set
The Fair Labor Standards Act, proposed by Roosevelt, sets the American federal minimum wage at 25 cents an hour, and established a workweek of no more than 44 hours. -
A Growing Trend
By 1941, 26 states, and also DC and Alaska, have laws regulating the minimum wage. -
Most Recent Adaptation
The federal minimum wage was most recently changed in 2009, with a raise to $7.25. -
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Miller and Harker
Sen. Harker and Rep. Miller proposed legislation to raise the federal wage, unsuccessfully, three times. -
Opposition by Employers Shrinks
A 2015 poll by WSJ finds that 49% of small business owners support raising the minimum wage. -
Public Support Rises
A 2017 poll by the University of Maryland finds that 74% of Americans support a raise to $9.00, while 57% support a raise to at least $10.10.
Another poll, this time by Quinnapac University, finds that 54% of Americans support a raise to $15.00. -
Present-Day
45 states and DC now have minimum wage regulations in place. 29 states have wagesset higher than tthe federal standard. More thn 30 cities across the nation have raised the standard to more than what their state has set.