Congressman Krishnamoorthi Participates in One Fair Wage’s “Server for an Hour” Event, Voices His Support For Increasing The Minimum Wage

SCHAUMBURG, IL - On Thursday, Congressman Krishnamoorthi participated in One Fair Wage's 'Server for an Hour' Event at a restaurant in his district, Eggholic, to raise awareness for the need to raise the minimum wage to a livable wage for restaurant workers and all other minimum wage employees in the United States. As part of this event, the Congressman waited tables and served customers at the restaurant. Also at the event, Congressman Krishnamoorthi received the One Fair Wage Congressional Leadership Award for his efforts to support working families in Congress.

The One Fair Wage event was held to advocate for the Raise the Wage Act and increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour as well as ending the subminimum wage completely. The subminimum wage is a loophole within the Fair Labor Standards Act that allows for a $2.13 federal minimum wage for workers that are compensated by tips and workers with disabilities. This leaves subminimum wage workers with a lack of financial security despite being employed and working long hours. For the 6 million tipped workers and 14 million restaurant workers nationwide, the subminimum wage puts them and the entire economy at a disadvantage.

'The 'Server for an Hour' event was an eye-opening experience for me and all representatives that have participated to see exactly what we are fighting for in Congress when we vote for legislation like the Raise the Wage Act,' Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. 'Today's minimum wage hasn't budged from $7.25 per hour since 2009. These are integral jobs to our American economy, and these workers are not being compensated fairly - especially with the subminimum wage loophole that exists in the industry. The American Rescue Plan brought relief to the industry during the pandemic, but these were emergency solutions to a pandemic that exposed deep, engrained problems and inequalities within our wage system. We need to embrace the Raise The Wage Act's plan to gradually increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour to lift up not only our working families but also strengthen the economy as a whole.'