Paychecks in 2014 should get bigger for many minimum wage earners. Although Congress and the Obama administration are still at odds over a call by Democrats to raise the federal figure to $10.10 an hour, 14 states have authorized increases to start next year.

Pressure from public campaigns to address income inequality and low-wage work are credited for the increases, although none of the minimum wage levels planned come close to the $15 an hour some advocates have stated as their goal.

State minimum wages will run from $7.50 an hour in Missouri to $9.32 in Washington State. That compares to the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.



