Later in 2023, another five states and 22 cities and counties will hike their baseline rate, according to the National Employment Law Project, a worker rights group.- Here's how much pay Americans say they'd need to start a new job- Biden administration proposes new rule that could upend "gig" workThe flurry of states raising their minimum wage follows years of advocacy and protests by groups including Fight for $15, which arose in 2012 to push for higher pay.The pandemic, surging inflation and worker activism provided further impetus for lawmakers to lift wages."These raises were achieved in a variety of ways, from ballot initiatives to statehouses to workers making their demands to employers directly."The record number of pay hikes will benefit an estimated 8.4 million workers, according to an analysis from the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute."