Georgia continues to rank near the bottom nationally for worker rights, with a new report from Oxfam America placing the state 46th out of 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico for 2026. This ranking comes as state leaders often promote Georgia as “the best place to live, work and raise a family,” yet the state falls behind southern neighbors like Florida, Louisiana, and Texas in worker protections.
The Oxfam America report evaluates states based on policies concerning wages, worker protections, and right to organize laws. While Georgia has shown modest gains, its position reflects ongoing challenges for employees across the state, impacting residents of Valdosta, Lowndes County, and South Georgia who rely on fair wages and workplace safeguards.
Key among the report's findings is Georgia's stance on minimum wage. For most non-tipped workers, the state's minimum wage mirrors the federal standard of $7.25 per hour, making it the lowest legally permissible. Tipped workers are paid at a rate of $2.13 per hour. Oxfam America argues that this $7.25 hourly wage covers only 18% of living expenses for a family of four. Furthermore, state law does not permit local jurisdictions to voluntarily raise their minimum wage.
Sandra Lee Williams, the president of the Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council, highlighted that certain exempt workers, including some domestic and farm workers, earn even less than the federal minimum wage, with some reportedly making $5.15 per hour. She noted that the $7.25 rate does not apply by default to these specific categories of work.
Georgia received a particularly low ranking in the right to organize metric, tying for dead last with Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas, all receiving a score of zero. Oxfam America's report specifies that the Peach State's policies prevent collective bargaining for agricultural workers, allow companies to retaliate against employees for reporting wage theft, and prohibit local jurisdictions from regulating rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft. The report states that "The South still remains the region with the weakest protections for workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain."
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unions covered only 5.1% of Georgia workers last year. Williams emphasized that unions often provide benefits and protections that extend beyond financial compensation, contributing to workers' "quality of life."
The Georgia Department of Labor did not respond to a request for comment regarding the report. However, in a late-month release, the department highlighted low unemployment rates across regions of the state, noting Georgia’s unemployment rate was 3.3% in July, compared to the national rate of 4.1%.
Despite the overall low ranking, Oxfam America's report identified some positive aspects. Georgia tied for 24th place in worker protections with Idaho, Montana, and New Mexico. This standing is attributed to state policies that guard against child labor and mandate equal pay across gender and race. The state also improved its overall ranking, no longer appearing in the bottom five, largely due to a state law passed in 2020. This law requires employers to provide private lactation spaces and paid break time for breastfeeding workers who need to pump.
Williams believes Georgia has significant progress to make to become a more worker-friendly state. She suggested new laws that would expand paid leave for all workers, expand Medicaid, establish new workplace safety policies, and enable employees to retrain for new positions if their jobs are eliminated by artificial intelligence. Williams concluded that Georgia "cannot continue to be the best place for businesses, and the worst place for workers."