By Kim Dacey
WBAL TV, Nov 2, 2021

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Some council members in Howard County are introducing legislation Monday night to raise the minimum wage to make it the highest in the state. ... It’s a move that council members said would affect 40,000 workers in Howard County.

"Today in Howard County, one in four families struggles to put food on the table and over 13,000 households are severely burdened by the cost of housing. These residents are our neighbors, our friends, our coworkers, our family members," Councilwoman Christina Rigby said.

"As our county...

By Kim Daley and Scott Wycoff, reporting
WBAL News Radio, Nov 1, 2021

Some council members in Howard County are introducing legislation Monday night to raise the minimum wage to make it the highest in the state.

The bill would eventually raise the minimum wage in Howard County to $16 per hour over the next several years. ...

Council members Jones and Rigby are officially introducing the legislation at the Howard County Council meeting at 7 p.m. They say living in Howard County is unaffordable for those making the current minimum wage and many families...

By Ben Casselman
New York Times, Oct. 19, 2021, Updated Nov. 3, 2021

Fall was meant to mark the beginning of the end of the labor shortage that has held back the nation’s economic recovery. ...

Some businesses are already changing how they operate. When Karter Louis opened his latest restaurant this year, he abandoned the industry-standard approach to staffing, with kitchen workers earning low wages and waiters relying on tips.

NorthcentralPA.com, Oct 18, 2021

Willow Grove, Pa. -- Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jennifer Berrier was joined by Senator Art Haywood, Representative Ben Sanchez, the CEO/founder of &pizza and its employees in Willow Grove to urge for an increase in what they call "Pennsylvania's archaic minimum wage" to help workers earn a more fair, livable wage in today's economy. ...

&pizza said it pays its workers a livable hourly salary in addition to tips. ...

Secretary Berrier toured &pizza, a fast casual pizza restaurant chain, and met many of its employees. The restaurant...

CBS3, Oct 14, 2021

Governor Tom Wolf’s administration is joining forces with a pizza chain owner in the call for raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage. Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Labor and Industry visited &pizza in Willow Grove on Thursday.

Michael Lastoria, who owns &pizza, said an increased wage is critical to keeping people in the food service industry – and keeping them happy.

By Hadas Kuznits
KYW News Radio (PA), Oct 14, 2021

Kelly Maguire, shop lead at &pizza restaurant in Willow Grove, said being paid $15 an hour has changed her life for the better. ...

“Just being able to come into work — and that’s all you have to worry about, is just working and getting that job done instead of all the 50 other things that are at home,” she said.

Jennifer Berrier, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, hopes other businesses follow suit.

She visited the restaurant Thursday, calling for the state’s minimum...

Florida Channel, Capitol Update, Oct 3, 2021

... Rick Nesbit, President of Alta Systems: "Happy employees make happy customers. ... We're still extremely competitive in the marketplace. With engaged, loyal, happy employees your efficiencies go through the roof." ...

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By Joe Henderson
Florida Politics, Oct 3, 2021

... It’s a shame it took a constitutional amendment to make this happen, but Florida built its economy on the backs of low-paid workers who made their employers rich. It’s past time to even the scales.

Some owners get it, though.

Bay News 9 reported on the co-owner of the Disco Dolls, a clothing store, hair salon, and art gallery based in Tampa.

Leigh Anne Balzekas said her store has six full-time employees, all of whom make $15 an hour.

“To train someone and keep talented employees —...

Yahoo Finance, Sep 30, 2021

Jared Meyers, Owner of Legacy Vacation Resorts & Tony’s Bar & Grill, joins Yahoo Finance to discuss the minimum wage increase in Florida, outlook on price inflations, and supply chain bottlenecks.

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Video Transcript

... Business owner Jared Meyers owns Legacy Vacation Resorts and Tony's Bar & Grill in Florida. He joins us now to talk about the impact on his business. We're also joined by Yahoo Finance's Aarthi Swaminathan-- so good to have you both here. Jared, what has the sentiment on the ground there been like among...

By Mitch Perry
Spectrum Bay News 9, Sep 30, 2021

Florida’s minimum wage increased Thursday from $8.65 an hour to $10 – the first step towards an eventual $15 an hour minimum wage in 2026. The increase comes via a constitutional amendment passed by more than 61 percent of Floridians in 2020.

Business groups such as the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association opposed the measure, but there are small businesses owners who support the increase.

“It’s better for our community to have more money in their pockets,” says Leigh Anne...