Lehigh Times

Sen. Art Haywood is praising the commonwealth of Pennsylvania as they fulfill their commitment to raise the minimum wage for commonwealth employees to $15 per hour.

Haywood tweeted, stating that by raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour, women, people of color and workers over the age of 20 will all benefit. 

“No one working full time should have to decide between food or gas to survive,” Haywood tweeted.

According to a January release by Gov. Tom Wolf, an executive order in March 2016 raised the minimum wage for commonwealth employees under the governor’s jurisdiction to $10.15 per hour. In 2018, an amendment to the order sought to increase employee pay to no less than $12 an hour with provisions to raise the wage by 50 cents a year until reaching at least $15 an hour in 2024. 

The recent raise accelerates that timeline, making the shift last week.

Since taking office, the release states, Wolf has proposed a minimum wage increase each year. Among efforts, he is urging the general assembly to pass legislation to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $12 per hour statewide with a path to $15 per hour.