A clever – but honest – young worker bought a field, then went and stood in it. He called his boss and demanded a raise because he was out standing in his field. 😂
Okay, that was painful. But sometimes getting raises can be painful! Just ask Seattle - they’re about to raise the minimum wage, but there will be some pain that comes with it.
Here are Five Fast Facts on Seattle’s rising minimum wage:
- ☝️ Up It Goes - Seattle is boosting the city’s minimum wage again next year, from $19.97 to $20.76. It’s the 10th year in a row for an increase! Also, for small businesses (less than 500 workers), tips and medical benefits no longer count toward the $2.72 hourly compensation requirement.
- ⌛ A Long Time Coming - The law driving the raise was actually passed clear back in 2014, with a 10 year rollout to ease businesses into it over time. Apparently this raise was aged like fine wine, though there’s no word on what kind of barrel it was in that whole time.
- 📈 Trend Setter - Seattle has often set the trend for wages. In 2015 it was the first city to pay a $15 minimum wage, and will now be one of just three cities in Washington State to pay over $20 per hour. The new rate will be tied to inflation, too.
- 🐔🥚 Justifications - Voters in Seattle tend to favor minimum wage increases more than any other part of the state, probably because it’s the most expensive place to live. One estimate suggested a single worker needs $30/hour to live in King County. Chicken, meet egg.
- 🤔 Um, About That - While the raise is obviously great for workers’ hourly pay, there may be some less obvious impacts. Businesses aren’t so sure about this, and will likely raise prices in response. If history is any indication, worker hours will also be cut to help control labor costs. Does a raise count if you work fewer hours to compensate for the higher rate? Just asking for a friend.
🔥Bottom line: Hopefully this will be a net win for workers, but it won’t be without cost for the businesses they work for, nor the public at large. Still, it seems like this is a trend that will likely continue, at least until the people decide enough is enough.
Do you think these increases should continue?
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