California’s $20 Minimum Wage Hike Cost State 18,000 Jobs, Study Shows

New Study: California’s $20 Minimum Wage Killed 18,000 Restaurant Jobs

Perhaps the greatest example that good policymaking intentions go awry is the minimum wage. Proponents of increasing the minimum wage argue that doing so will help the poor.  If we could snap our fingers and make the poor suddenly rich, there would be no reason to object. Unfortunately, in a world of scarce resources, this is not a possibility. The minimum wage actually tends to make many poor workers worse off and increases unemployment. A rece…

California’s $20 minimum wage hike cost state 18,000 jobs, study shows

The California assembly passed AB 1228 in Sept. 2023, which established the state’s "Fast Food Council" and its ability to set and adjust the sector’s minimum wage.

California’s $20 Fast-Food Minimum Wage Increase Linked to Whopping 18,000 Job Losses

A recent analysis from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) indicates that California’s decision to raise the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $20 per hour has resulted in significant job reductions in the sector. The study estimates a loss of approximately 18,000 positions in California’s fast-food industry since the policy took effect in April 2024, marking a 3.2% drop compared to similar sectors elsewhere in the U.S. The resea…

California’s $20 Fast Food Wage Hike Backfires: 18,000 Jobs Lost So Far, Study Finds

California’s ambitious $20 minimum wage for fast food workers has already led to steep job losses, according to a new economic study. While supporters claim the hike helped workers, data suggests it’s pushed many out of work entirely. Key Facts: California raised its minimum wage for fast food workers to $20/hour on April 1, 2024. A study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found the state lost 18,000 fast food jobs—down 3.2% compared…

California’s $20 wage increase linked to 18,000 job losses

Brace yourself, California—your fast-food burger just got pricier, and not just at the counter. According to Fox Business,  A recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) dropped a bombshell this month, revealing that the state’s shiny new $20 per hour minimum wage for fast-food workers, rolled out on April 1, 2024, has carved out a staggering 18,000 jobs from the sector. That’s a bitter pill for workers who thought a pay bu…

New study reveals crippling impact of California's minimum wage hike

New study reveals crippling impact of California's minimum wage hike California's dramatic fast food wage hike may have backfired, according to a new economic study – wiping out an estimated 18,000 jobs across the state in just one year. The research, published this month by the National Bureau of…