Tomorrow is not just payday, but the first minimum wage increases for Minnesota in ten years. The state will raise its minimum wage to $8 an hour, the first stop on its way to $9.50 an hour in 2016. However, some local businesses aren’t sure if the raise is the right move for our economy.
Although some believe the higher minimum wage will increase costs others believe it’ll bring more customers to local businesses.
Some local businesses disagree that all minimum wage employee deserve a raise, because not all minimum wage employees make the same.
Grand View Lodge says their servers make between $15 and $25 an hour and they don’t need the wage increase. They also say they have to pay about $100,000 a year to the government in tip wages and wish they didn’t have to offer as high of a minimum wage.
The Department of Labor says Minnesota is one seven states that requires their businesses to pay their tipped employees minimum wage before tips.

By — Lakeland PBS

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