Minimum Wage Increase
By Susan Tart

The North Carolina General Assembly has passed a law that will raise the state minimum wage by one dollar, making the state’s minimum wage rise above the federal rate.

The minimum wage will now be $6.15. This is the first increase in the state's minimum wage in nine years. That means nearly 140,000 workers will have more money in their wallets. Or does it?

Some argue this legislation will put more people out of work, especially students.

Erica Powell works at Student Stores on campus, but she’s not worried.

“Most jobs on campus start like above six dollars or right at six dollars, so I don’t think it’s really going to affect the jobs on campus, but definitely outside of the campus and for people who are really, really in poverty, I think it’s really needed,” Powell said.

As of April this year, 18 states had minimum wage rates that were higher than the federal rate; North Carolina makes number 19.