The start of 2020 brings 47 new minimum wage increases across the country that will help working people and their communities. According to CNBC, "Nearly 7 million Americans are starting 2020 with a pay raise." All of these increases are a real cause for celebration.

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But despite these huge wins for working people, we're entering peak silly season when it comes to minimum wage misinformation. Just as the new year brings wage increases for workers around the country, it also delivers a more malicious tradition: a flurry of concern-trolling news stories about how the minimum wage is killing jobs - which we know isn't the case.

At Civic Action, we've helped lead the way on a $15 minimum wage here in Seattle, and the results have been outstanding. Despite the loud complaints of a few surly business owners and conservative pundits, raising the wage hasn't killed jobs, raised costs for consumers, or closed restaurants.

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But Seattle isn't the only success story anymore. Now that wage increases are commonplace, studies around the country show that raising the wage is great for everyone. Researchers found that after New York City adopted the $15 minimum wage, "revenue and employment" went up at NYC restaurants. We have learned that increasing the minimum wage helps decrease recidivism in Americans who have been to prison. A higher minimum wage saves lives: When wages go up, suicide rates have been found to decrease. And the most comprehensive study in decades proves that minimum-wage increases are great for workers.

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The New York Times reports that pay is rising fastest for low-wage workers because minimum-wage hikes give workers raises they might not otherwise get. It's not rocket science why raising the minimum wage is beneficial: If more working people earn more money, that means they have more to spend, which is good for everyone.

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So, when you see a sensationalized, sky-is-falling minimum wage headline, don't take the bait. We put together a checklist to evaluate minimum wage "news" over at Business Insider that you can check out here. But our word isn't the end-all, be-all, so let us know what you think:

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Do you think minimum wage increases help the economy?

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