Contact: Erin Musgrave, 530-864-7014, erin@emcstrategies.com

Jan. 14, 2020, Dover, DE—Business leaders are showing their support for gradually raising Delaware’s minimum wage to $15, citing numerous business benefits a higher minimum wage would have for their businesses and the state economy.

Alissa Barron-Menza, Vice President of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, joined workers and elected officials at a press conference at the capitol today calling for raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. The CEO of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce also announced their support.

“Raising the minimum wage boosts consumer spending, as workers buy goods and services they couldn’t afford before. And with higher minimum wage, businesses benefit from lower employee turnover and increased productivity,” said Alissa Barron-Menza, Vice President of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage. “We’ve heard from business owners across Delaware who look forward to a higher minimum wage that will strengthen the economy and help businesses and communities thrive.” 

Margot Dorfman, CEO of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, said, “Raising the minimum wage will help small businesses like my members by putting more money in the hands of customers. Business that pay low wages are being short-sighted. They may save on immediate payroll, but they experience the significant expense of high employee turnover, low morale and a less productive workforce. Raising the minimum wage is a win-win for workers and businesses.”

Courtney Sunborn, Owner of Ecolistic Cleaning in Lewes, said “Increasing the minimum wage is a smart step to help businesses pay fairly and retain trained employees. Our business is built on trust between us, our clients and our employees, so when we hire, we want to make sure our hardworking employees are going to stay. We want them feeling valued and getting paid fairly, so we start them well above the current minimum wage, which is not a decent floor for Delaware.”

Hung Le, Owner of Southeast Kitchen in Wilmington, said, “Making sure your employees are taken care of is just good business. When the minimum wage is too low even something like taking the bus to work can put a major dent in the amount of money workers take home. Our starting pay is higher than the minimum wage, and we find that helps us keep employees, save on training costs, and, most importantly, serve our customers better.”

To speak with business owners and executives who support raising the minimum wage, please contact Erin Musgrave at erin@emcstrategies.com or (530) 864-7014.

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Business for a Fair Minimum Wage is a national network of business owners and executives who believe a fair minimum wage makes good business sense.