By Erik Gunn
Wisconsin Examiner, July 19, 2021. Also in Urban Milwaukee.

Years ago when he was working for the discount retailer Kmart, Gary Lemke saw the cost of low wages: high employee turnover. Lemke estimates as many as half the workers would leave in a year. 

That meant more than just having to hire and train new people. He is convinced it harmed the bottom line.

“You don’t just lose workers — you lose customers as well,” says Lemke. “If you’re losing 50% of your employees every year, you’re losing a lot of potential business.”...

Delaware’s minimum wage will increase from $9.25 an hour to $15 an hour by 2025

By Joanna Fantozzi
Nation's Restaurant News, July 19, 2021. Also in Restaurant Hospitality

... “This is a great day for Delaware and small businesses across the state who advocated raising the minimum wage to boost the economy,” Alissa Barron-Menza, vice president of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage said in a statement. “Workers will be able to spend more at local businesses and fairer pay will bring lower employee turnover and increased productivity. Raising Delaware’s minimum wage will help businesses and communities thrive.”...

By Juliana Kaplan 
Business Insider, July 19, 2021

The number of states set to raise their minimum wage to $15 an hour is now in the double digits, as Delaware joins the club. 

"Delawareans who go to work full time shouldn't be living in poverty," Gov. John Carney said in a statement after signing it into law on Monday. ...

"I think every time a state like Delaware joins the movement, it's going to encourage other states to do so," [Courtney] Sunborn said. "And I hope that what the other states will see is that this will...

By DJ McAneny
WDEL, July 19, 2021

... The bill's primary sponsor, Sen. Jack Walsh, said ... the talking point that the increase will cost jobs is "simply not true..." "The reason is simple: putting more money in people's pockets means more bills getting paid, and more money going into cash registers, which results in a better economy for all of us,"  ...

The bill did have the support of small businesses across Delaware, some of whom were on hand Monday for the signing. 

"When you pay higher wages, and staff feel valued and aren’t scrambling financially...

By Sarah Gamard
Delaware News Journal, July 19, 2021

If low-wage workers haven't got a pay boost yet, they will starting in January. Gov. John Carney signed a bill on Monday to increase Delaware's minimum wage from $9.25 to $15 an hour by 2025. ...

Some small-business owners who support a $15 minimum wage praised the new law on Monday.

In a statement with other pro-increase business owners and the organization Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, Sarah Titus, owner of the Comic Book Shop in Wilmington, said she looks forward to minimum wage increases putting...

By Lorie Konish
CNBC, July 16, 2021

The coronavirus crisis has cast new attention on wages and income.

It’s been 12 years since the last federal minimum wage increase, and whether a hike in minimum pay will get passed by Congress or not is still a question.

The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour. That pay raise was approved by Congress in 2007, which gradually kicked it up to the present number in 2009. ...

Meanwhile, states are stepping in to raise their minimum pay rates. However, none of them currently have...

By Sam Sanders
More Perfect Union, July 15, 2021

Florida small business owner reveals incredible hack for attracting and hiring workers during the “labor shortage.” Hint: Paying your workers a living wage.

Features Danielle Ferrari, owner of Valhalla Resale in Tampa, Florida.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

WATCH ON TWITTER

By Olivia Montes
Delaware State News, July 12, 2021

Upon hearing that state lawmakers had passed an increase to the minimum wage June 17, Ryan Peters, co-owner of RISE Fitness+Adventure in Rehoboth Beach, was delighted.

At the same time, local business leaders are thrilled that more money is moving into the wallets of employees and hoping they spend big at area companies, bolstering bonds between shops and consumers.

Mr. Peters — whose gym has been paying its staff above minimum wage... [said]

“Ultimately, these people need more discretionary income, … (and they) don’t necessarily need to...

By Zahra Tayeb
Business Insider, Jul 11, 2021

Business owners say they're struggling to find staff. Not so the CEO of &pizza, a restaurant chain in Washington, DC, who claims that he's been bombarded with job applications.

Michael Lastoria told Insider that business was booming at the pizza chain's 51 locations and all were fully staffed. He said that the secret was paying staff a proper wage. ...

While opening 12 new locations this year, Lastoria said he'd received well over 100 applications for each job. "Our new locations are fully staffed and we plan to open another...

By Aarthi Swaminathan
Yahoo Finance, July 2, 2021

Minimum wage increases went into effect in several states on July 1 as states take it upon themselves to increase pay for low-wage workers to keep up with the growing cost of living. ...

Business owner: It's 'super important' to pay $15 an hour

For one business owner in Delaware, the move toward $15 an hour is a no-brainer.

"We've always paid $15 an hour here at the inn," Kristen Deptula, owner of the Canalside Inn in Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, told Yahoo Finance. She purchased the...

By Jeniffer Solis
Nevada Current, July 1, 2021

... Nevada businesses owner Paul Saginaw, co-owner of Saginaw’s Delicatessen in Las Vegas and a member of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, says he has not had trouble hiring, partly because of their $14 an hour starting pay.

“I think it makes good business sense,” Saginaw said. “It’s very short-sighted not to realize that.”

“Nevada’s 75-cents-a-year minimum wage increases benefit workers and businesses. Going higher than the scheduled $12 by 2024 minimum wage would be much better,” Saginaw said.

Jared Meyers, owner of Legacy Vacation Resorts in Reno...

By Kate Ryan
WTOP News, July 1, 2021

Political leaders in Montgomery County, Maryland, joined with civic and labor groups to celebrate the $15 an hour minimum wage law that’s taken effect as of July 1. ...

Scott Nash, CEO of the MOM’s Organic Market grocery chain, supported the push for a $15 minimum wage. His firm, which has 1,300 employees, is headquartered in Montgomery County. Nash explained that he’s been paying the $15 hourly rate and other grocers lost employees to his business.

“We believe that a higher minimum wage makes for a better...

Op-Ed By Ryan Peters
Delaware State News, June 26, 2021

Delaware will be raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. As a small-business owner, I’m all for it.

My wife, Amanda, and I founded RISE Fitness+Adventure in 2013. We had a modest initial facility but a big vision to foster fitness and community. Now, we’re the largest fitness facility in the area, with a beautiful, state-of-the-art 24,000-square-foot space that reflects not just our vision but the dedication of our employees.

We rely on staff who are supportive and friendly, enjoy their work...

By Lorie Konish
CNBC, June 24 2021

When Kristen Deptula and her husband bought the Canalside Inn in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, in October 2019, they had no idea the coming summer season at the shore town would mostly be a bust due to Covid-19.

The innkeepers were able to access federal funding through the Paycheck Protection Program to help keep them going.

Deptula also credits another decision — paying their staff a $15 per hour minimum wage — with helping the business transition through the pandemic. ...

‘Vital tool’ for recovery

groups like Business for a Fair...

By Melissa Steele
Cape Gazette, June 22, 2021

Increasing Delaware's minimum wage to $15 an hour is just a signature away from becoming law after passing the House on June 17. ...

Rehoboth Beach business owner Ryan Peters of RISE Fitness + Adventure said paying a $15 minimum wage is good business. “Employees have more pride in their work and are more invested in our company. We save money on costly turnover, and our dedicated staff keep our customers coming back,” he said in a statement released by Business for a Fair Minimum Wage.

Kristen Deptula...