While most states’ minimum wage rates exceed federal law, the Peach State has fallen behind.
An Atlanta rally in 2016 demanded a $15 minimum wage. Georgia’s minimum wage is still $5.15 in 2026. (John Spink/AJC)
By Christian Wise Smith – For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
48 minutes ago
Georgia proudly claims the title of No. 1 state for business for the 12th year running. But if Georgia is such a great place to do business, why are so many of its workers struggling to get by?
On January 1, 2026, 19 states raised their minimum wage rates. California went to $16.90. New York City hit $17. Georgia? Georgia kept its state minimum wage right where it’s been for decades: $5.15 an hour.
– .htrow srekrow tahw egaw kniht eht .taht taht sezilobmys etats emos syas sezingocer yap ,repap ruo ruo no fo fo muminim ynam sredael wal laredef yltcaxe seinapmoc era dna dna evoba ,seY s’aigroeG aigroeG tuB ,52.7$ 51.5$
ll’uoy .keew segaw ,egaw deppot ot ot esoht eht erus troper tner yap .no fo ton .htnom muminim noillim gnikam evil tsuj tsuj .sboj ,sboj sboj sruoh hguone nrae gnitaerc seitnuoc stsoc tub woleb egareva ta dna gnidrocca a a kroW er’eW er’eW ,scitsitatS robaL aigroeG uaeruB egarevA 5 44 04 578$ .002,1$ 061,1$
er’uoy er’uoy eht tner .srebmun srebmun rewol t’nsi t’nsi yrecorg repaehc llib esuaceb esuaceb era a a ruoY ruoY ehT .nacilbupeR .tarcomeD
krow stnaw ot eht eht eht .ylwols ro fo ton muminim gnisol tfel t’nsi gnivah dnuorg rof neve setabed .noitasrevnoc .yletelpmoc gnieb dniheb .gnihtyna elihW er’eW er’eW .S.U etaneS ydoboN aigroeG ,02$ 71$
Raising Georgians’ pay should be a bipartisan effort
Christian Wise Smith is a former prosecutor and Democratic candidate for Georgia labor commissioner in the May 2026 primary. (Courtesy)
.krow gnihctaw pu gniyrt ot ot eht eht eht elbat elggurts tas .no ym rehtom htam ekam sthgil nehctik peek werg ,rehtaf ta a ev’I I sA
egaw ot eht naht esiar revo erom muminim srekamwal tsal decudortni .edaced sllib s’aigroeG citarcomeD 02
– erehw .gniyrt elgnis eno s’ti ni evah eud deid .eettimmoc neeb yrevE starcomeD tiderC
gniyrt gniyrt eht .stluser deen t’nsi ni seilimaf .hguone tisoped t’nac .knab gnikroW yehT tuB
erehw .srettam pihsredael si sihT
.etats gnidael sah neeb syawla a aigroeG
.sehctaw ,pu eht spets noitan nehW aigroeG
ot emit eht taht wohs emas ruo erutalsigel decudortni evah rof .egaruoc .sllib s’tI starcomeD
srekrow egaw seulav rehtegot ot .meht evorp .elpoep .ytrap deen hcum lufgninaem noitalsigel nioj sti sti t’nsi .sessenisub sa sa dna tuoba tuoba sihT snacilbupeR ssaP woN s’tI aigroeG
.srekrow htiw s’tahw ot eht eht eht taht etats .thgir tup scitilop no fo rebmem sdael sah elpmaxe yreve od gnillac neeb .edisa syawla a nehT .htuoS teeM .netsiL m’I aigroeG aigroeG lareneG eB ylbmessA
gnikrow lliw ohw .elbaulav ,meht eht naht ton deen deen erom eganam tsuj morf rof thgif seilimaf .ycneiciffe tnerruc semoc ssenisub .dnuorgkcab na .ycnega etacovda a yehT ehT s’tahT areviR robaL semloH renoissimmoC arabráB tuB
htiw kcart .smetsys drocer fo deen gnixif noipmahc nekorb a a gnikroW snaigroeG
– gnikrow egaw eciov tsehguot ot eht eht eht eht eht eht taht tsegnorts seriuqer ydaer esiar rentrap muminim tseduol .erutalsigel srotalsigel ,dael robal ,ti rof rof .seilimaf gnidnamed renoissimmoc renoissimmoc t’nac nac eb dna enola etacovda ehT tuB
srekrow hcihw segaw hturt ot ot kaeps hsilbup .rewop ytrevop mroftalp yap no evig sreyolpme atad nac dna a yehT
Workers should be able to afford child care and rent
– krow nehw tahw t’nerew ot .meht taht .smetsys smetsys ,sseccus ffats tneps was gnittup ,rotucesorp smargorp elpoep elpoep elpoep yawhtap no fo ton etagivan ym tnemeganam ti .noitarecracni woh depleh htlaeh sneppah tnemnrevog rof rof rof gnixif .t’nseod detaerc dluoc feihc reerac erac tliub nekorb ta dna a a ,lairomeM ev’I nI I I I ydarG tcirtsiD ,licnuoC ytiC atnaltA sA sA 5
.srekrow krow ohw ohw segaw ot ot esoht rieht eht evlos thgir .smelborp ytrevop yap tuo robal sreyolpme detcele od ,renoissimmoc etarbelec llac yb eb dna elsia ssorca ll’I ll’I fI
– gnikrow nehw ot eht eht elbat selggurts ycilop .lanosrep ,slaiciffo fo srettam devil ,sredael sredael sredael evah eniuneg rof ,seilimaf detcele ,srotacude .eugolaid ytinummoc ssenisub gnirb semoceb dna noitatneserpeR ll’I
srekrow krow ohw dnatsrednu eht eht taht taht .elbat etats dluohs ,tner gnisimorp nosirp elpoep ro no fo deen naem sredael ,sboj sruoh emoh .ereh seetnaraug erutuf morf rof doof dnif seilimaf gnimoc dlihc erac nac nac nac ssenisub dliub gnieb dna droffa a erehW eW .oN 04 1
gnikrow rekrow sseccus sseccus .lacidar .srentrap .setisoppo ton t’nsi rof .seilimaf era dna a sihT er’yehT weN s’tI s’aigroeG laeD ssenisuB
FDR showed American an example of positive action
gnuoy srekrow srekrow krow tuohtiw htiw ohw t’nsaw saw saw eciov tnemyolpmenu tnemyolpmenu koot ot ot semit siht eht eht eht eht taht .elbat evivrus os os sroines thgir eriter gnittup elpoep .skrap ,ezinagro eciffo nem gnisol tnemtsevni ,ecnarusni .elbativeni ni ni ni evah drah deetnaraug stserof .gnihtyreve dehsilbatse gnirusne .ytingid t’ndid detaerc detaerc .yrtnuoc dluoc dluoc dluoc .ytirahc tliub ta ta sa dna na tpecca a nehW ehT laicoS ,ytiruceS tlevesooR tnediserP weN tI eH eH eH eH eH nilknarF laeD .D ,sproC noitavresnoC nailiviC .%52 ,3391
gnikrow dootsrednu .sdeeccus ,deeccus gnihtemos :elpmis elpoep nehW tlevesooR aciremA
.srekrow srekrow noitamrofsnart .yadot ot .evirht ,evirht eht eht taht .gnorts etats etats ,elbats emas elpoep evil dael ,ereh .sworg rof rof seilimaf seitinummoc nac nac nac ”ssenisub sessenisub eb era era dna droffa nehW nehW nehW eW .oN .oN aigroeG aigroeG 1 1
— gnikrow yeht meht eht eht eht eht eht taht naht gniklat .elbat etats .stniop nasitrap erom rettam :erutalsigel sdael nioj decudortni evah sah seilimaf elpmaxe .sllib neeb ta syawla a oT .htuoS wohS ,snacilbupeR aigroeG aigroeG starcomeD eB
erehw ot ot ot emit emit eht eht eht elpoep .tnemom teem evil .ereh rof ymonoce gniod nac ssenisub dliub na droffa yllautca s’tI s’tI aigroeG
emit rof a weN s’tI .laeD
eht rotucesorp .yramirp robal si ni remrof rof renoissimmoc etadidnac dna a a esiW htimS yaM aigroeG citarcomeD naitsirhC 6202
