From Amazon: Study on Federal Minimum Wage Debate in New England and Across U.S.

Among the regions of the country, those in New England (91%) are the most likely to agree that the federal minimum wage is too low

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Amazon and global market research firm Ipsos published the results of a new federal minimum wage study that polled more than 6,000 Americans, including respondents in New England, on their knowledge of and opinions on the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

A few of the top-line findings from New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) include:

• Among the regions of the country, those in New England (91%) are the most likely to agree that the federal minimum wage is too low, followed by those in the Pacific (84%), the Middle Atlantic (83%), the South Atlantic (81%), the East North Central (80%), the West North Central (77%), the East South Central (76%), the West South Central (76%), and the Mountain (71%) region.
• Among those polled in the New England region, the majority (67%) support increasing the federal minimum wage even when including undecided respondents on the matter.
• When asked about companies’ roles in increasing the federal minimum wage, respondents believe companies should set their own minimum wage to $15 an hour (54%) and advocate for the federal government to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour (52%).
• The majority of those polled in the New England region also believe raising the federal minimum wage would have a positive impact on employees in general (81%), the country (70%), their community (67%), and the economy (70%).

Amazon raised its starting wage for all U.S. employees (full-time, part-time, and seasonal) to at least $15 an hour in 2018, and today well over half of all Amazon front-line employees in the U.S. earn more than $15 an hour. This increase has improved the lives of Amazon’s employees – helping them to purchase cars, pay for home repairs and college tuition, and save more money.

For more details and to see the stories of people who have experienced the benefits of a $15 an hour starting wage visit aboutamazon.com/ipsosstudy.