Attorney General Kwame Raoul has spearheaded a coalition of 22 attorneys general in submitting an amicus brief supporting the federal government's initiative to raise the minimum wage for certain federal contract workers. This follows President Biden's April 2021 executive order, which increased the minimum wage for these workers to $15 and directed annual adjustments based on cost-of-living changes.
The coalition filed the brief in the case of Nebraska v. Su, which contests this wage increase. Raoul emphasized, "Employees of federal contractors have a right to fair wages that allow them to provide for themselves and their families."
The legal challenge revolves around the executive order from April 2021 and a November 2021 rule that increased the minimum wage from $10.10 per hour, where it had been since 2014. A lawsuit led by Nebraska challenged this increase but was dismissed by a district court as lawful under executive authority. The decision was appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where judges ruled in favor of those challenging the wage increase. Raoul and his colleagues are urging a rehearing of the case.
The coalition argues that raising the minimum wage yields significant benefits for both workers and the economy, citing various economic studies and local experiences as evidence. They assert that higher wages lead to improved worker morale, productivity, reduced turnover, better income equality, and decreased poverty among federal contract workers.
Raoul's actions are part of ongoing efforts to safeguard worker rights. In recent years, he has contested Department of Labor rules affecting tipped workers' protections and led coalitions defending transportation workers' rights before achieving unanimous victories at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Attorney General Raoul invites workers with concerns about potential violations or unsafe conditions to contact his Workplace Rights Hotline or file complaints online.
Attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington D.C., Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont and Washington joined Raoul in filing this brief.