Employment Policies Institute (EPI)

A study warns that a federal $25 minimum wage mandate would destroy nearly 5 million jobs across the country, hitting Sun Belt states like Florida, Texas, and Georgia hardest. The proposal also entails eliminating the federal tip credit, raising the direct cash wage requirement for tipped employees up to $25 per hour. Rebekah Paxton of the Employment Policies Institute projects these job losses are concentrated in the restaurant and hospitality industry.