Clinton Backs Increasing Virginia's Minimum Wage

PHOTO: Hillary Clinton speaks to a group of party faithful Friday, June 26 at George Mason University; Patch photo

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FAIRFAX, VA -- As the Virginia General Assembly reconvenes Wednesday for their 2016 legislative session, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is voicing her support for proposed measures to increase the minimum wage for Virginia’s workers.

Several bills have already been introduced to raise Virginia’s minimum wage, including Senate Bill 88 introduced by state Sen. David W. “Dave” Marsden (D-Burke).

Here’s a description of the bill:

Minimum wage: Increases the minimum wage from its current federally mandated level of $7.25 per hour to $8.00 per hour effective July 1, 2016, to $9.00 per hour effective July 1, 2017, and to $10.10 per hour effective July 1, 2018, unless a higher minimum wage is required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The measure also provides that the cash wage paid to a tippedemployee shall not be less than 50 percent of the minimum wage and that the tip credit shall equal the difference between the cash wage required to be paid to a tipped employee and the minimum wage. Amends § 40.1-28.10, § 40.1-28.9, of the Code of Virginia. Read the Bill »

Clinton weighed in Tuesday: “I believe the defining economic challenge of our time is raising incomes for hardworking Americans, and one important way to do that is to raise the minimum wage,” Clinton said in a statement. “I strongly support the measures being introduced in the Virginia General Assembly to raise the minimum wage for Virginia workers. Too many families in the Commonwealth are working harder and harder, but still not getting ahead. As president, I will do whatever it takes to get the job done for Virginia families so they can get ahead and stay ahead.”

Clinton has supported raising the federal minimum wage to $12, and believes that the wage should go further than the federal minimum through state and local efforts, and workers organizing and bargaining for higher wages, such as the Fight for 15 and recent efforts in Los Angeles and New York to raise their minimum wage to $15. She also supports the Obama administration’s expansion of overtime rules to millions more workers.