Nebraska businesses chime in over minimum wage increase

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) -Nebraskans voted and now they’re seeing the impacts. In January, the state’s minimal wage went up from $9 to $10.50 with will increase coming for the following three years.

On Sunday, 10/11 NOW spoke with a neighborhood enterprise to see how the hike in wages impacts them.

Since voters authorised the initiative, the state’s minimal wage will improve by $1.50 annually till 2026, the place it’s going to cap off at $15 an hour.

In Downtown Lincoln, a Novel Concept Bookstore has seen many minimal wage will increase over their 31 years in enterprise.

“We haven’t had one and since 2016,” mentioned Cinnamon Dokken, proprietor of A Novel Concept Bookstore. “And you recognize, we need to hold our wages excessive, we’d wish to pay greater than minimal wage. And one of the simplest ways for us to try this is that if working folks have cash, then in a shopper financial system, you recognize, these revenues rise, and we’re in a position to fund these raises that we need to give”

Dokken mentioned the rise has not solely impacted her worker’s paychecks, however enterprise as effectively.

“When working folks have cash, they spend cash, and our costs don’t have to go up,” Dokken mentioned. “If we’ve got extra quantity of gross sales, which has occurred time and time once more. We count on to promote extra books. We’re already seeing an ideal begin to January.”

Elevate the Wage Nebraska mentioned the wage will increase will affect 150,000 Nebraskans, however there have been some hesitations in regards to the initiative as its opponents mentioned it has each benefits and downsides.

There have been some considerations over how the wage improve would affect worker numbers and what number of hours staff would be capable of work with employers paying them extra.

Nebraska Appleseed, who was aside of a coalition to get the initiative on the poll, mentioned the increase was crucial to maintaining with the rising prices of dwelling.

“The entire level of elevating our minimal wage, is to ensure that as issues get dearer as childcare and drugs and meals and housing will get dearer, that wages improve,” mentioned Ken Smith, Nebraska Appleseed.

Dokken agrees.

“You set cash within the palms of working folks, they spend cash, they assist native companies, the rising tide lifts all boats,” Dokken mentioned.

Nebraska Appleseed mentioned as a part of the initiative, as soon as it caps off in 2026, the Nebraska Division of Labor will proceed to regulate wages primarily based on inflation.

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