Pa. low-wage worker total rises

INQUIRER STAFF The number of Pennsylvania hourly workers at or below the federal minimum wage rose by 16,000, or 23 percent, last year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. It said 79,000 were below the minimum and 6,000 were at that level. The federal minimum was $5.85 an hour last year through July 24, when it rose to $6.55. Workers can be paid below the minimum because there are exemptions to the wage law. For all hourly workers in the state, the median pay last year was $12.62, up 41 cents an hour from 2007. The median among men was $13.98, and it was $11.75 for women, BLS said. ALSO ON PHILLY.COM…

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