Minimum Wage Rises, Unemployment Jumps Again

Recently, the federal minimum wage has risen. However, the numbers of those who unfortunate to be out of work also increase.

Under federal minimum wage laws, the workers covered nonexempt ones are entitled to a minimum wage of not less than $7.25 per hour. The new rate has come into effect July 24, 2009. Many states also have minimum wage laws; West Virginia is one of the states.

The minimum wage increase of two weeks ago brings the federal minimum in line with the West Virginia state minimum wage. In West Virginia, the minimum wage also increases to $7.25 per hour. According to the West Virginia Division of Labor, that state minimum came into effect July 1, 2008.

According to U.S. Department of Labor's Website, in cases where an employee is subject to both state and federal minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher minimum wage. Over half the states in the nation have a state minimum the same as the federal minimum. Also many states exceed the federal minimum wage, like California, Oregon and Washington.

WorkForce West Virginia released data that there were 950 people unemployed in the county in June. The June rate of unemployment was 11.6 percent, well up from May's rate of 10.7 percent. The rate of unemployment for the same June period last year was just 5 percent, representing 410 individuals out of work.