A service of Salisbury University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Delaware Lawmakers Consider $15 Minimum Wage

Don Rush

DOVER, Del. (AP) - The state Senate is poised to vote on legislation increasing Delaware's current $8.25 minimum wage by $2 over four years.

Tuesday's scheduled vote comes after a similar measure stalled in the General Assembly last year.

The bill would increase the minimum wage in four 50-cent increments, starting Oct. 1, to $10.25 an hour in October 2020.

After 2020, the minimum wage would increase by a percentage equal to the cost-of-living adjustment under the federal Social Security Act.

A similar bill passed the Democrat-led Senate last year but stalled in the House amid opposition from small-business owners.

Supporters say an increase would help struggling low-wage earners. Opponents believe it would lead to businesses hiring fewer workers and passing on any wage increase to consumers, making goods and services more expensive.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.