The common words of supporters of raising the minimum wage are “It will help those in poverty.” If an employee worked 40 hours a week, they would earn about $15,080 a year, slightly below the federal poverty line of $15,130. However, it is crucial to consider that most employees earning the minimum wage work fewer than 40 hours per week. Therefore, more cha-ching is good! Right? It is important to know that state minimum wage laws may differ from federal minimum wage laws. The bill with the highest dollar amount should be used for payroll. For example, if the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour but state X has a minimum wage of $10.00, the employee is entitled to the higher minimum wage. Timeline of changes to the federal minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act (establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards)1949 —