Raising the Minimum Wage Would Be Transformative for Women

By Diana Boesch, Robin Bleiweis, and Areeba Haider February 23, 2021, 4:29 pm

Center for American Progress https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/news/2021/02/23/496221/raising-minimum-wage-transformative-women/

19 million women would benefit from the Raise the Wage Act

The Raise the Wage Act would raise wages for nearly 32 million workers, according to analysis by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) and the National Employment Law Project (NELP). The majority of workers who would benefit are women—59 percent, or nearly 19 million. In total, more than 1 in 4 working women, both those working full and part time, would see a raise.

Women of color in particular would see substantial benefits, as many are segregated into low-wage jobs. Nearly a quarter—23 percent—of all workers who would see a raise are Black women or Latinas, an overrepresentation of their share of the U.S. workforce in 2020. (see Figure 1) This includes 3.4 million Black women and 4 million Latinas.

Women working in essential jobs deserve a raise

Women make up more than two-thirds of tipped workers, who also deserve a higher minimum wage

Raising women’s wages would narrow the gender wage gap and wealth gap

Women are overrepresented in low-wage occupations that would see a raise

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