LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new report by a national group says nearly one in six Nebraska workers would see a pay increase if voters opt to raise the state's minimum wage.
The report released Wednesday estimates that 143,000 low-paid workers in Nebraska could receive a raise. Voters will decide in November whether to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $9 an hour by 2016.
Paul Sonn of the National Employment Law Project says higher minimum wages generally create a "ripple effect" that also boosts wages for workers who make slightly more than the minimum. NELP is a New York-based advocacy group.
The study predicts that increasing the wage would generate nearly $74 million in economic activity through increased spending, and help create more than 400 jobs.
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