By Christopher Rugaber
Associated Press (AP), July 27, 2021

... It is hardly the official federal minimum wage — at $7.25, that level hasn’t been raised since 2009 — but for many lower-skilled workers, $15 an hour has increasingly become a reality. ...

The beneficiaries are people like Maggie Himmel, who started working at the Flowers for Dreams flower shop in Milwaukee last fall for $12.50 an hour. In January, the company raised its minimum wage to $15.

The higher pay allowed Himmel, 22, to move into her own apartment after sharing living space with her...

Op-Ed By Holly Sklar, CEO, Business for a Fair Minimum Wage

... The minimum wage has become a poverty wage instead of an anti-poverty wage. That hurts workers who can’t afford the basics, and it hurts businesses that count on customers with money to spend. ...

By Brittany Valentine
Al Dia, July 20, 2021

On Monday, July 19, Delaware Governor John Carney signed into law a long overdue bill that will gradually increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 by the year 2025. ...

Groups like Business for Fair Minimum Wage, a network of business organizations, owners and executives, also commended Delaware’s decision. 

Alissa Barron-Menza, vice president of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, told CNBC that when the cost of living increases, people struggle to afford even the most basic necessities. 

“Businesses need customers who can afford their products...

“This is a great day for Delaware and small businesses across the state who advocated raising the minimum wage to boost the economy,” said Alissa Barron-Menza, vice president of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage.

Delaware Newsline, July 20, 2021

Delaware Governor John Carney signed legislation that would gradually increase the Delaware’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. ...

“This is a great day for Delaware and small businesses across the state who advocated raising the minimum wage to boost the economy,” said Alissa Barron-Menza, vice president of Business for a Fair Minimum...

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 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 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 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...