Op-Ed By Cary Fristoe
Fairbanks Daily News Miner, October 6, 2024
As a small business owner, I understand that my employees are the most important piece of the business puzzle. It is essential that they are afforded the opportunity to earn enough money to not only survive but to feel valued on the job, with the ability to have work-life balance.
I strongly support Ballot Measure 1, which would gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 by July 2027 and assure that workers can earn some paid sick time. It makes good business sense.
I know from our experience at Black Spruce Brewing that when you compensate and treat people the right way, they are more productive, provide better service, and they stay with you longer. Employee retention is very important. With lower employee turnover, we have lower costs and disruptions to production when it comes to hiring and training new workers.
High turnover is costly. Our low turnover really helps our bottom line.
Investing in employees helps our business succeed. It is key to our culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and experimentation to find the next award-winning beverage.
Increasing the minimum wage to better reflect the high cost of living that we face in Alaska will ensure that all Alaskan workers are able to make ends meet. It will encourage workers to stay in Alaska and raise their families here.
Workers who earn more money are, in turn, able to spend more money. Increasing the minimum wage will boost consumer spending at local businesses in Fairbanks and across Alaska.
My family-owned and -operated brewery relies on a small team of employees to make sure our operation runs smoothly. If an employee is sick or needs to take care of a sick family member, it is in my business’s best interest to allow them to take the time that they need to recover or to help a loved one recover.
Having a sick employee come into work is a risk to other employees. And it is against the safe food handling practices that protect customers.
Additionally, an employee that is sick or worried about a sick child or loved one will be less productive than one who is healthy and focused. Employees with paid sick time are able to take the time they need to rest and recover without worrying about missing their next rent payment, electric bill or car payment.
The ballot initiative would establish a reasonable minimum paid sick leave standard. It would enable employees to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked up to a set minimum of hours per year. Employers with fewer than 15 employees could limit sick time usage to 40 hours per year. Employers with 15 or more employees could limit usage to 56 hours per year.
Ballot Measure 1 enjoys wide support among businesses and the general public. More than 120 businesses in the Alaska Business for Better Jobs Coalition support Ballot Measure 1 – ranging from small businesses like ours to the Alaska Black Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce.
Polling shows that 64% of likely Alaska voters support Ballot Measure 1 while just 32% said they would vote against it. The same poll conducted by Breakthrough Campaigns found strong support across different backgrounds and geographic locations.
Passing Ballot Measure 1 will be good for business and good for Alaska.
Carey Fristoe is co-owner of Black Spruce Brewing in Fairbanks and a member of Alaska Business for Better Jobs.
Copyright 2024 Carey Fristoe