On January 1, 22 states in the U.S. will raise their minimum wages, benefiting approximately 9.9 million workers and resulting in an additional $6.95 billion in wages. The majority of the beneficiaries, about 57.9%, are women. The wage increases will have a more significant impact on Black and Hispanic workers, who represent a larger proportion of those receiving increases compared to their overall workforce percentages. These changes will notably affect the care industry, where a high percentage of workers are women, Black, and Hispanic.

"53% of caregivers, often from underserved communities, are on some form of public assistance. Their persisting financial struggles can limit their availability", said Brandi Kurtyka, CEO of MissionCare Collective. "Care is a calling and we’re working towards turning it into a meaningful pathway that is professionalized in a way where everyone is visible and can see a future to meet the needs of America’s rapidly aging population."

See below the states with minimum wage increases happening this January and listen to what the Direct Care Workforce has to say about wages from the One Voice, Many Stories project.

• [WATCH] What the Direct Care Workforce has to say about wages.
• [WATCH] What motivates the Direct Care Workforce to choose a company to work for.

You can download a printable version of this table here.