OMAHA - The new year brings a new minimum wage to Nebraska, and supporters of the higher wage don’t want lawmakers tampering with the law that boosted it. The state now has the 18th-highest minimum wage after the increase effective Jan. 1. That’s according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, which tracks minimum wages in the 50 states.

The new minimum wage of $13.50 an hour is the result of a successful 2022 ballot initiative that authorized a series of annual increases. Initiative 433 was an effort of Raise the Wage Nebraska, supported financially by labor unions and various progressive organizations. The measure passed with more than 58% of voters in favor.

The minimum wage will remain at $13.50 an hour through December 31, 2025. In 2026, it will rise to $15. In successive years, the wage will increase based on the cost of living. Sue Martin, president and secretary-treasurer of the Nebraska State AFL-CIO, commented on the boost. “These consistent, predictable increases toward $15 since 2023, along with the annual cost of living increases that will begin in 2027, will ensure that hardworking Nebraska workers don’t fall behind,” she said.

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