If strong worker protections top your list of workplace priorities, California might be the place to start your job search, according to a new report from Oxfam.
The 2026 Best States to Work Index, published Sept. 3, evaluated all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico on minimum wage levels, worker protections and rights to organize. The index reflects policies and laws in effect by July 1, 2026.
California, Washington, D.C. and New York came out on top, thanks to their robust wages and worker-friendly policies like paid family and medical leave, said Cameryn Cobb, a social scientist at Oxfam America and co-author of the study. In each of those three jurisdictions, the minimum wage is at least double the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour.
Those states “have continuously tried to meet the moment and pass policies to make sure that their workers are taken care of, both at work and outside of work,” Cobb said.
State-level changes matter
Cobb emphasized that state policymakers “can make changes that really impact workers,” but also noted that “people do have power.” She pointed to Utah’s recent repeal of its collective bargaining ban, a change she attributes to advocacy by “teachers, firefighters and local people.”
Public support for unions appears to be growing. A Gallup survey conducted in August 2026 found that nearly half of Americans (47%) want U.S. labor unions to have more influence than they do now — a record high in the past 25 years.
New this year: caregiver protections
One policy area Oxfam added to its index this year is caregiver protection, according to Cobb. With the rise of the “sandwich generation” — workers caring for both elderly relatives and children — many employees struggle to balance caregiving with their jobs.
“A lot of times, people can be discriminated against for those caregiving responsibilities,” Cobb said. States like Maine and Minnesota have enacted protections for family caregivers, moves that Cobb said make states stronger because they “are really looking out for the working families that live in their states.”
Wide disparities across states
Oxfam’s data shows how much conditions vary by location. “State by state, things are very different for workers,” Cobb said. “We are in one country, yet if you cross a border, the laws are vastly different in terms of labor. It makes a big impact on people’s daily lives and their ability to afford their basic needs or to take care of their loved ones.”
States with strong wages and worker protections also tend to have better quality-of-life outcomes, Cobb noted. “They have less people in poverty. They have less infant mortality. They have a higher GDP per capita,” she said, calling it a positive correlation “between taking care of your workers and their well-being.”
Federal minimum wage unchanged since 2009
Cobb also highlighted raising the federal minimum wage as a policy change that could help workers nationwide. The federal minimum has been $7.25 per hour since July 2009, when it was raised from $6.55. A 2021 Pew Research survey found that 62% of Americans supported a $15 federal minimum.
“It’s something that everyone can get behind,” Cobb said.
Source: www.cnbc.com — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/09/the-top-us-states-for-workers-in-2026-according-to-oxfam-report.html
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