Minimum Wage

Women represent nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers — and full-time, year-round work at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour leaves a woman with two children thousands of dollars below the poverty line. We're working to raise the minimum wage and tipped minimum wage at the federal level and in the states to boost women's economic security and help close the wage gap.

Highlights

Fact Sheet | Higher State Minimum Wages Promote Fair Pay for Women

October 2, 2013

Raising the minimum wage and the tipped minimum wage are important steps towards closing the wage gap for women.

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Fact Sheet | Fair Pay for Women Requires Increasing the Minimum Wage and Tipped Minimum Wage

October 4, 2013

Each year, millions of workers are paid the minimum wage and rely on these wages to support themselves and their families.  But the federal minimum wage hasn't increased since 2009 and the tipped minimum cash wage hasn't increased since 1991. Raising the federal minimum wage and the tipped minimum wage is vital for women, who made up about two-thirds of all workers who earned minimum wage or less in 2012. 

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Fact Sheet | 60 Percent of Women’s Job Gains in the Recovery Are in the 10 Largest Low-Wage Jobs

July 23, 2013

Women have regained a large number of the jobs they lost during the recession, but their gains are highly concentrated in low-wage occupations. Sixty percent of the increase in employment for women between 2009 and 2012 was in the 10 largest occupations that typically pay less than $10.10 per hour. In contrast, these 10 low-wage occupations accounted for only 20 percent of men’s employment growth over the same period.

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Fact Sheet | Women and the Minimum Wage, State by State Chart

June 25, 2013

The minimum wage is falling short for millions of Americans — especially for women, who represent nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers across the country, and at least half of minimum wage workers in every state. Use this chart to see how the states compare.

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More Resources

Fact Sheet | Fair Pay for Women in New Mexico Requires Increasing the Minimum Wage and the Tipped Minimum Wage

February 20, 2013

Tens of thousands of workers in New Mexico – disproportionately women and people of color – struggle to make ends meet on minimum wage earnings. Proposals in the New Mexico legislature would raise the minimum wage and tipped minimum wage and index both to inflation.

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Fact Sheet | Fair Pay for Women and People of Color in Maryland Requires Increasing the Minimum Wage and the Tipped Minimum Wage

February 15, 2013

This fact sheet explains how increasing the minimum wage and the tipped minimum wage in Maryland would especially benefit women and people of color.

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Fact Sheet | Fair Pay for Women and People of Color in Connecticut Requires Increasing the Minimum Wage

February 08, 2013

This fact sheet explains how increasing the minimum wage and the tipped minimum wage in Connecticut would especially benefit women and people of color.

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Fact Sheet | A Higher Minimum Wage Would Benefit Working Women, Their Families and All New Jerseyans

February 06, 2013

This fact sheet, produced by NWLC and the Rutgers Center for Women and Work, explains how an increase in the minimum wage and tipped minimum wage would benefit women and their families, help close the wage gap between women and men's earnings, and boost New Jersey's economy.

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Fact Sheet | Genesis Healthcare Corp. v. Symczyk: An Important Case for Low-Wage Women Workers and the Future of the Fair Labor Standards Act

November 02, 2012

In October 2012, the Center filed an Amicus brief in Genesis Healthcare Corp. v. Symczyk.  This fact sheet explains the case's importance and potential impact on low-wage women workers.

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