New Bill Would Raise Minimum Wage In Tennessee
By Sarah Tate
March 8, 2022
Over the past few years, thoughts on increasing the federal minimum wage have sparked debates across the country. While some states have taken notice, others are slower to make the change. Now, a new bill proposed in Tennessee could raised the Volunteer State's own minimum wage if passed.
On Tuesday (March 8), lawmakers in the Tennessee General Assembly are set to discuss a proposed bill that would more than double the minimum hourly wage for employees in the state from $7.25 to $15. According to News Channel 5, the change would happen over the course of four years, with wages going up to $12 in 2023, $13 in 2024, $14 in 2025 and $15 in 2026.
The last time Tennessee raised the minimum wage was back in 2009 when the federal government changed it to $7.25, the news outlet reports. According to MIT's Living Wage Calculator, the living wage in Nashville is higher than the current minimum wage. The living wage in Davidson County for a single person with no children is $14.84 while that of a single person with one child doubles at $28.21.
In addition to raising the minimum hourly wage, the bill would require employers to pay at least one and a half times the hourly rate for overtime over 40 hours a week.