Democratic representatives in Congress made good on promises to file legislation increasing the federal minimum wage this week with The Raise the Wage Act of 2021 being officially filed. As we know there was much talk during the campaign on the democratic side – from President Biden as well as several reps and senators – promising legislation to hike the federal minimum, the coronavirus pandemic and business shutdowns notwithstanding. The Raise the Wage Act calls for the current federal minimum of $7.25/hour to be more than doubled over the next four years, reaching the $15/hour mark in 2026. In addition, the proposal would also completely eliminate the tipped wage over the same time frame. The legislation, which has passed the House each year that democrats have been in the majority, was filed in the Senate this year by incoming Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders along with 38 co-sponsors. If the filibuster, which would require 60 votes in the Senate to move the bill, is kept intact, we would expect Senate leadership to try to move the bill as a budget matter, thereby allowing it to pass under budget reconciliation rules with a simple majority of 50 votes with Vice President Harris breaking the tie. President Biden last week signed an Executive Order laying the groundwork for a $15 minimum for federal employees.