There’s been significant movement on the minimum wage front in 2019 — most notably the proposed federal bill to raise the minimum wage for all Americans to $15 by 2024. It’s things like this persuading companies like McDonalds, Amazon, and Bank of America to jump on the Raise the Wage bandwagon. 
Google, however, is taking things even further by requiring the staffing companies they work with to provide workers with health benefits, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and a $5,000 tuition reimbursement for continuing education, all on top of a $15 minimum wage for contractors. Some argue that it’s easier for large companies like the ones listed above to embrace a higher minimum wage because they have the capital needed to sustain their enterprise; and perhaps even more importantly, to invest in technological replacements. In fact, the National Federation of Independent Business recently released a report detailing the effects of an increased minimum wage on small businesses. Check out the findings here. 
