In a Republican held state, Arkansas voters approved a substantial increase to minimum wage. By 2021, minimum wage will be raised from $8.50 to $11.00 an hour.
Issue #5 to raise minimum wage received 68 percent of the vote in favor, despite opposition from Republican legislators across the state. Arkansas will soon have one the highest minimum wages across the nation.
The first change will go into effect in January of 2019, jumping to $9.25 an hour. In January 2020, the minimum wage will rise to $10 an hour. Finally in January 2021, the minimum wage in Arkansas will be $11.00 an hour.
A quarter of the state’s workers will see an increase in their pay, however economists predict that there will be a slashing of hours.
