Michigan’s One Fair Wage Proposal Becomes a Public Act –– What This Means For Michigan Workers

For starters, we hope the title didn’t give off the wrong impression –– this should definitely be seen as a good thing. All over the country, Americans have been fighting to be paid a fair wage within their respective states and, they have a right to do so. I mean, after all, cost of living in individual states keeps rising and it isn’t keeping up with the minimum wage standard in the United States. Just to give you a peek, this list cultivated based off of the 2017 Annual Average Cost of Living Index ranked states like Hawaii, New York, Alaska, and Oregon as some of the top 10 states that are expensive to live in (thankfully, Michigan didn’t make the list). So, it’s only fair that, to offset these costs, states provide their residents with liveable wages, right? Certainly, and Michigan has made some bold moves towards doing just that –– with the passing of the Michigan One Fair Wage. The Michigan One Fair Wage proposal, as so duly noted on its official support site, seeks to raise the minimum wage to $12 by the year 2022 which would include servers, bartenders, and and whomever else works for below the minimum wage plus tips. According to their site, they feel that “All working people should get the guarantee of a minimum wage that allows them to make ends meet and increases their spending power. When working people make more money, they spend it locally, which helps drive the economy forward.” Thankfully, the proposed bill, Senate Bill 1171, became a public act last year in December which will start raising the minimum wage starting in April of this year. Right now, the current minimum wage in Michigan is $9.25 and will increase to $9.45 in April of this year. By 2030, the minimum wage will be up to $12.05. For tipped wage, it is currently at $3.52 and will increase to $3.59 in April.

Obtaining Legal Counsel for Your Wages Case

Now, surely, this isn’t the icing on the cake when it comes to minimum wage and more should be done by legislation not only in Michigan but all across the country to ensure that citizens are able to take care of themselves and their families by getting paid a fair wage. That aside, this doesn’t mean that discrimination and injustice will not cease in the workplace. If you have suffered an injustice, been discriminated against, had your wages withheld, or have a wage-related grievance with your current job, don’t wait around and try to resolve it on your own. Call Marko Law and we will be more than happy to handle the situation. We are certainly not intimidated by business owners, big or small, let alone the court system –– our domain. We take care of our clients and do our best to get the best possible result for your case.