What is the difference between a minimum wage law and a living wage law?

The difference between a minimum wage law and a living wage law in Virginia is significant. Minimum wage laws set the lowest wage an employer can legally pay an employee in Virginia. This wage is determined by the state and is typically adjusted each year. For example, the Virginia minimum wage in 2019 is $7.25 per hour. A living wage law goes a step further and sets an even higher wage rate than the minimum wage. A living wage is designed to provide a wage for workers that can support a basic, yet acceptable, standard of living. The living wage rate is often based on housing costs and other necessary expenses in the local area of the worker. Virginia does not have a living wage law, so employers in the state are not required to pay a living wage. However, some local Virginia governments may have living wage ordinances which require businesses located in the area to pay a living wage.

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What is the difference between a minimum wage law and a living wage law?

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