Raise the Wage

Why Amazon Supports a $15 Minimum Wage

In 2018, Amazon raised its starting wage for all U.S. employees to at least $15 an hour. We’ve seen the positive impact this has had on our employees, their families, and their communities. Since then, we’ve been lobbying Congress to increase the federal minimum wage—which has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009.

Rising Tide: The Comeback

Meet some of Amazon’s neighbors near Nashville. See how our $15/hr starting wage is helping this salon bounce back from the pandemic.

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See how Amazon employees reacted to our $15 starting wage in 2018

Studies show that wage increases help communities and fuel economic growth. The investments we made in our hourly employees quickly benefitted local businesses and economies.

Learn more from recent economic research:

The National Employment Law Project: The gradual increase of the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour would narrow racial and gender pay gaps.
The Economic Policy Institute: Increasing the minimum wage to $15 by 2025 would lift wages for 40 million workers.
The American Economic Association: Multiple papers showcase the positive impact of a higher minimum wage.
UC Berkeley and Brandeis University, Study: Amazon’s 2018 wage increase also upped pay for non-Amazon employees.

We have taken positions on other important issues, including those below.