HARRISBURG — Keystone Research Center Labor Economist Mark Price made the following statement about the federal introduction of the Raise the Wage Act of 2019:

"Today lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate unveiled the Raise the Wage Act of 2019-legislation to gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 by 2024. The legislation would eliminate the tipped minimum wage and adjust the minimum wage annually after 2024 to match the growth in median wages.

My name is Mark Price and I hold a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Utah. I am a Labor Economist at the Keystone Research Center (KRC), a non-partisan economic think tank based in Harrisburg. I’m submitting to council this testimony in support of Bill #180649 which would establish “Fair Workweek Employment Standards” for hourly food service, hospitality, and retail workers employed in the private sector.

Read the full testimony here

Read the full report

HARRISBURG, PA – The Keystone Research Center today released its report “The State of Working Philadelphia.”  The report finds that, despite healthy job growth, a majority of Philadelphia’s households earn less than comparable households did a decade ago.

HARRISBURG — Keystone Research Center Executive Director Stephen Herzenberg made the following statement regarding tomorrow's state House Labor & Industry Committee hearing on proposed rule changes to restore guaranteed overtime pay for Pennsylvania salaried employees earning between about $24,000 and $48,000 when they work more than 40 hours in a week: