A new report finds nearly a quarter of Iowa workers make less than 17-dollars an hour, what’s considered a living wage. The non-profit Oxfam America says 24-point-2 percent of Iowa workers make less than that wage, which is slightly higher than the national average of 23 percent. Oxfam senior researcher Kaitlin Henderson says the report also found Iowans of color are significantly more likely to earn low wages as compared to national numbers.
Henderson says 17-dollars an hour is the living wage needed to afford the basic costs of running a household.
Henderson says Iowa hasn’t raised its minimum wage in 15 years. It’s currently $7.25 an hour, which is the minimum wage requirement set by the federal government.
