National Employment Law Project (NELP)

Stories

NYC minimum wage stays at $17 as state law freezes inflation adjustment

Documents off-ramp impact and calls for repeal

New York City's minimum wage stays at $17 an hour on Jan. 1, 2027. A 2023 state law trigger suspends the inflation raise because state employment fell in July. Prices in the New York area rose 4% over the past year, so the freeze cuts real pay for low-wage workers.

Updated Oct 29

The $15 tipping point: states bypass Congress on wage floors

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Research and policy arm supporting Fight for $15 and state legislation

On January 1, 2026, nineteen states raised their minimum wages—some by pennies, others by dollars—while Congress let the federal floor sit untouched at $7.25 for the sixteenth straight year. Washington state now leads at $17.13 an hour. Missouri and Nebraska hit $15. Hawaii jumped $2 in one leap. The increases will pump $5 billion into the pockets of 8.3 million workers this year.

Updated May 20