Updates About Jobs

As we enter the new year, we will also begin seeing new wages in Michigan, according to the state’s Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act. Michigan’s minimum wage is set to increase from $12.48 to $13.73 per hour. Tipped employees, who receive 40% of the minimum wage, will see their hourly minimum wage increase to $5.49 per hour, assuming the employee exceeds the $8.24 tip threshold.

The Stargate company is coming to Michigan. Helmed by tech giants such as OpenAI, Oracle, Nvidia, and Microsoft, the company aims to invest $500 billion in AI infrastructure and development by 2029. Saline Township, Michigan is the 5th location announced out of 20 new AI data centers the company plans to build around the country. The data center’s plans for this rural farming town bring with it a whopping spending estimate of $10 billion.

Back in September, the township board refused to rezone the farmland plot required for building the data center after local residents raised concerns about pollution and the eventual increase in utility costs. However, an agreement was reached when Stargate offered to invest $14 million upfront to the township to go toward fire services, farmland preservation, and the community investment fund, plus an annual investment of $9.6 million into the township’s government and local school for the next 25 years.

Governor Whitmer praises the investment after working with Stargate to secure a deal since the project was first announced. She predicts the building will create 2,500 construction jobs, as well as 450 permanent on-site jobs and 1,500 jobs within the county.

A recent brief issued by the Senate Fiscal Agency showed that 21.7% (or 18 out of the 83) Michigan counties are considered a maternity desert. This designations is assigned for counties that do not have a single hospital or birth center offering obstetric care and contain no obstetric providers. This number is up from 18% (15 out of 83 counties) in 2023.

Michigan’s maternity desert counties include Keweenaw, Ontonagon, Baraga, Iron, Alger and Luce in the Upper Peninsula. Lower Peninsula counties include Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Antrim, Oscoda, Alcona, Missaukee, Lake, Gladwin Arenac, Ionia, Cass, and Sanilac. The three counties with the longest birth commutes—Luce, Schoolcraft, and Ontonagon—are all located within the Upper Peninsula.

Recently, Aspirus Health announced they were ending OBGYN services at their Ironwood location. The move was met with sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers who represent the Upper Peninsula. Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan), pointed out that despite the U.P. being bigger than six U.S. states, it only has six locations equipped to handle births.

Other data in the brief shows that the state was experiencing a steady birth rate beginning in the 1950’s. That is until 2023 when, for the first time ever, the birth rate fell below 10 births per 1,000 people. The rate in 2024 was 9.65 births for every 1,000 people.