As business owners and executives, we support the ballot initiative to gradually raise Alaska’s minimum wage to $15 by 2027 and enable workers to earn paid sick time.

Workers are also customers. Minimum wage increases go right back into the economy as spending at local businesses.

Raising the minimum wage and paid sick days are good for business. Low-wage businesses have more trouble hiring and retaining employees, as workers look elsewhere to make ends meet. Without paid sick days, workers lose needed pay unless they go to work sick, where they are less productive, more prone to error, and can spread illnesses to co-workers and customers.

With better wages and earned paid sick time, businesses benefit from lower employee turnover, lower hiring and training costs, increased productivity, better health and safety, and better customer service, which keeps customers coming back.

We support the ballot initiative to:

• Raise Alaska’s minimum wage to $13 on July 1, 2025, $14 in July 2026 and $15 in July 2027. Beginning January 1, 2028, there would be annual cost of living adjustments so the minimum wage does not lose buying power.
• Enable employees to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked (employers with fewer than 15 employees can limit usage to 40 hours per year; those with 15 or more employees can set a limit of 56 hours per year).
• Respect different beliefs by prohibiting employers from requiring employees to attend meetings on political or religious matters unrelated to their work.

This will help Alaska businesses and communities thrive.