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WageUpOKC is an organization of high school students dedicated to raising the minimum wage in Oklahoma. Learn more today!

About Us

About Us

The minimum wage in Oklahoma hasn't been raised in more than a decade. That's where we come in.

WageUpOKC is a group of high school students dedicated to raising the minimum wage in Oklahoma, one business at a time. After talking to many experts around Oklahoma City, the WageUpOKC team discovered the minimum wage of $7.25 in Oklahoma was far too low to support average family households.

Oklahoma's Minimum Wage ($7.25) vs. a Living Wage ($12.00/hour)

The livable wage we push for is

$12/hour.

$12/hour allows a family with at least one full-time worker to be "housing stable," or able to afford and sustain housing.

Our Mission

WageUpOKC is raising the minimum wage by partnering with privately owned businesses to ensure all working families can live above the poverty line.

The logo design below was made completely by the WageUpOKC team. This logo will appear on the store or office windows of our partners, assuring they are a genuine WageUpOKC partner committed to paying a living wage.

The WageUpOKC Logo
Living Wage ($12.00/hour)A diverse economic pie with blue slices

A higher minimum wage will diversify the economic pie and create more jobs.

Since more people are earning more money, people will buy more products. This grows the economy, so we all do better!

Higher wage graphicHigher sales graphic
Productive workers increase profits

Workers who are economically secure work harder and change jobs less often. These workers increase business productivity and therefore business profits.

A higher minimum wage will encourage people to work, meaning fewer people who have to receive government assistance.

A higher wage for the people result in less government spending on government assistance.

Less government assistance means less spending, in turn reducing our national debt and lowering taxes.

Better-paid employees work more consistently and have more stable families.

Unstable household
Graduates graphic

Children in stable families are more likely to graduate from high school and less likely to have children before turning 21 and getting married.
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This Success Sequence reduces incarceration and other government expenses.

A higher minimum wage is the right thing to do, not only for those in poverty, but for all people!

A heart made of two hands

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is your question not answered here? Please contact us, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible!

Q
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Can I partner as a franchised business?
A.
Yes, we encourage any business paying a living wage to support out mission in fighting poverty in Oklahoma!
Q
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Is the partnership agreement legally binding?
A.
No, the agreement is only an expression of your commitment to providing all of your full-time employees a living wage.
Q
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My business is made up of internships. Am I still qualified to partner?
A.
Absolutely! We encourage any business striving to pay their workers a fair wage to partner with us! As long as all your full-time employees (including full-time interns) are paid a minimum of $12/hour, then we would love to have you as a partner!
Q
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My business is a restaurant with workers earning a wage + tips that leave them with at least $12/hour. Can I partner with WageUpOKC?
A.
Yes! We want to partner with businesses that have full-time workers earning at least $12/hour after every shift. We understand that total wages (wage + tip) cannot be consistent every day in the restaurant industry, but we would encourage our partners to raise their wages so it can accommodate these inconsistencies.
Q
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I operate a small business with no official full-time employees. What are my requirements to be a partner?
A.
We would love to have you as a partner! If your business can support any workers (including just yourself) at a minimum of $12/hour, and you are committed to our mission (so that in the case of receiving full-time employees, they would be paid $12/hour), we would love to partner!