Article Summary –
Brittany Seanor, a Subway manager, struggled to retain employees due to low wages, highlighting the broader issue in Pennsylvania where many workers earn the state’s minimum wage of $7.25, which is insufficient for living above the federal poverty line. Democratic lawmakers in Pennsylvania have proposed legislation to incrementally raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2029, amid opposition from Republican leadership. While raising the minimum wage is seen as a crucial step toward alleviating poverty, experts caution that $15 may still not constitute a livable wage, emphasizing the need for further economic policy adjustments to ensure that workers can afford basic necessities and are not adversely affected by losing public benefits.
When Brittany Seanor managed a Subway, low wages made it tough to retain employees. Among a 12-member team, only she and another manager stayed for a year.
“Minimum wage has always impacted me,” said Seanor, near Pittsburgh. “Hiring at $8 an hour three years ago was challenging. We kept losing workers.”
In Pennsylvania, tens of thousands earn the state’s $7.25 minimum wage—much lower than the $23.32 MIT’s living wage calculator suggests is needed for a single, childless adult to earn a livable wage. A full-time minimum wage worker earns below the federal poverty line, set at $15,960 annually in 2026.
Minimum wage earners struggle with rent, food, and healthcare costs, especially as costs rise nationally, policy experts and workers told the Pennsylvania Independent.
Democratic lawmakers propose legislation to raise the minimum wage to $11 in 2027, $13 in 2028, and $15 by 2029. The Democratic-led House passed the bill on March 24, sponsored by Rep. Jason Dawkins, and it now awaits the Republican-controlled Senate.
“Providing a living wage for all Pennsylvanians is my mission,” Dawkins said in a press release. “Pennsylvania needs a minimum wage for people not just to survive, but to thrive.”
Pennsylvania’s minimum wage hasn’t risen since 2009 when it matched the federal rate of $7.25. Neighboring states like New York and New Jersey offer higher minimum wages, reaching up to $16 and $15, respectively.
Democrats have long pushed to raise the state’s minimum wage, but Republican leadership has blocked votes. With Democrats gaining control of the House in 2023, the chamber has passed wage hike bills in 2023, 2025, and now in 2026. This year’s bill had near-unanimous Democratic support.
Senate Republicans remain silent on this recent wage legislation, and previous bills languished in committee without votes.
Governor Josh Shapiro emphasized the importance of raising the wage in a press release, stating that over half a million workers earn below $15 hourly, with thousands at minimum wage or less.
‘Improve the lives of a significant portion of Pennsylvanians’
Policy experts argue the wage hike could alleviate poverty and assist with rising costs, like food and healthcare. Felicity Williams and Laura Beltrán Figueroa of the Pennsylvania Policy Center advocate for cost-of-living adjustments post-2029.
However, they stress that $15 an hour isn’t a livable wage now or in 2029, pointing to studies showing much higher income needs in urban areas like Pittsburgh.
Williams cautions that wage increases could cause some to lose essential public benefits, urging lawmakers to ensure people aren’t disqualified from benefits they still need.
Seanor believes $15 an hour isn’t sufficient and calls for a higher wage considering inflation. “Why aren’t we setting it at $20 an hour?” she asked.
Union leader Faylynn Kassander supports the increase to $15, calling it a “thriving wage” that could help families save for emergencies.
Kassander, who once earned less than $15 an hour, recalled having to choose between bills and essentials. “A raise could be life-changing,” she said, highlighting stories of workers living in cars due to low wages.
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