What representatives on the House Democratic Caucus say are important features in House Bill 1059.
North Carolina’s minimum wage has sat at the federal level of $7.25 since 2009, but House Bill 1059 could change that.ย
โThe wages paid to working North Carolinians must reflect the rising cause of basic necessities, and indexing the minimum wage to inflation will help preserve purchasing power over time,โ Wake County Rep. Tim Longest said.
The proposal, by the House Democratic Caucus, would raise the statewide minimum wage starting in 2027. Most businesses would have to pay workers $15 an hour. Businesses making $400,000 or less would be required to pay workers at least $11 an hour. The minimum wage would also rise over time with inflation. ย
โWe are trying to address the cost of living, here in North Carolina and really address workers rights in the state of North Carolina, and continue to be the voice of reason on behalf of workers, and working families, and working people across the state,โ Mecklenburg County Rep. Jordan Lopez said.ย
The bill would also allow local governments to set even higher minimum wages โ reversing a long-standing restriction on local control.ย
โItโs more expensive to live in a Charlotte, than it is to live in a Gastonia,” Mecklenburg County Rep. Terry Brown said. “Itโs more expensive to live out in the coast than it is to live out, perhaps, in the mountains. So, we want to be able to give our local governments the ability to say โthis is what weโre seeing on the ground.'”ย
Rep. Lopez says the measure also includes a new short-time compensation program aimed at helping employers cut hours instead of cutting jobs during economic downturns. ย
โIt gives them an opportunity to really share time with the state of North Carolina,” Lopez said. “So, employees would still be able to work, of course, on reduced hours because maybe wages, revenue, has kind of died down so theyโre gonna have to cut their hours back. And then in turn, while those people are working โ even on reduced hours โ they can draw partial unemployment benefits to kind of make up the difference.โ ย
Rep. Brown says they are listening to what matters to voters, addressing rising costs.ย
โWe actually have to talk to folks and figure out, what is going on in your lives, what is you and your families talking about at the kitchen table, what is stressing you and keeping you awake at night, and then make policies that reflect that reality,” Brown said.
House Bill 1059 has passed its first reading and is now in committee.ย
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