Op-Ed: California’s Anti-Worker Policies Are Coming To Washington

This article originally appeared in Daily Caller on June 23, 2023

I have long feared that the Biden Administration would emulate the disastrous, anti-worker policies of California. The Administration’s recent nomination of California Labor Secretary Julie Su to lead the U.S. Department of Labor suggests that my fears may be turning into reality.

California’s labor policies do not put American workers first, but the Biden Administration has already shown an alarming tendency to follow their lead. Despite a comprehensive study that found that past minimum wage increases in California have led to significant reductions in employment in the state, especially in industries with lower paid employees, President Biden signed an executive order that increased the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. This nearly matches California’s current minimum wage of $15.50. The Biden Administration also seems to be ignoring the fact that for every 10% increase in the minimum wage over the last 30 years, California has experienced a nearly 5% reduction in employment in low-wage industries. 

It’s no coincidence that California has the highest cost of living in the continental United States. When politicians raise the minimum wage, workers bear the cost, as the resulting price increases often burden the low-income groups that the minimum wage increase is designed to help. American workers cannot afford to see California’s minimum wage policies go national.

Read full op-ed in Daily Caller