[chambernews] Fwd: Act now! Minimum wage! - Message from the MN Chamber of Commerce ~

[Karen Amundson (Chamber)]

Message from the MN Chamber of Commerce -  For Your Information.


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Act now! Minimum wage!
Date: 	Mon, 7 Apr 2014 21:41:29 +0000
From: 	Tomasetti, Leah <LTomasetti at mnchamber.com>
Reply-To: 	Tomasetti, Leah 
<resp-6l6v5-7srp7-flg5h at mnchamberexecutives.chambermaster.com>
To: 	<Karen at MoraMN.com>



We just sent an alert out to members on the agreement that was reached 
today on the minimum wage.  If this bill passes, Minnesota will have one 
of the highest minimum wages in the country.  The proposal also includes 
annual inflationary increases in the wage.  Please forward this alert to 
your members.  Urge them to contact their legislators by Wednesday.  
They can email their legislators directly by accessing the link at the 
bottom of the email.  Thank you for your help.

Today the Minnesota House and Senate DFL leadership agreed on 
legislation that will dramatically raise Minnesota's minimum wage to 
$9.50 in 2016 with an inflationary increase. If passed, Minnesota will 
have one of the highest minimum wages in the nation.  Your legislator 
needs to hear from you as soon as possible!

The bill includes:

  * $9.50 minimum wage for businesses with gross sales over $500,000 in
    2016.  Phased in over 3 years from $7.25 currently to $8.00 in
    August 2014; $8.50 in August 2015 and to $9.50 in August 2016.
  * $7.75 minimum wage for businesses under $500,000 in gross sales in
    2016. Phased in over 3 years from $6.15 to $6.50 in August 2014;
    $7.25 in August 2015 and to $7.75 in August 2016.
  * (The wage cut off has been reduced from $625,000 to $500,000.)
  * The $7.75 minimum wage also applies to large businesses for: a 90
    day training wage for 18 and 19 year olds; all 16 and 17 year olds;
    and employees working under a J1 visa.
  * Beginning in 2018, all wages would increase annually on January 1st
    through an inflation adjustment called the implicit price deflator. 
    The implicit price deflator is similar to the Consumer Price Index. 
    Wage growth will be capped at 2.5%.
  * The increase could be suspended for one year by the Commissioner of
    the Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) if leading economic
    indicators show a possible substantial economic downturn.  The
    suspension could only be implemented after a public hearing and
    comment period. In better economic times, the suspended increase
    could be added back.

This increase is roughly the equivalent of a 31% increase on most 
businesses' minimum employee cost. The bill makes Minnesota an outlier 
in the nation: /*only ten states index minimum wage to inflation, and 
none of them have a minimum wage as high as $9.50.*/

These proposed changes will disproportionately affect small businesses 
in Minnesota, our border communities, young people, and entry-level 
workers.  Minimum wage jobs give young and low-skilled workers the 
opportunity to learn important "soft skills" that cannot be taught in 
schools: self-confidence, attention to detail, time management, problem 
solving, and communication skills.

/*It's critical that you weigh in by Wednesday, April 9!*/ Contact your 
Senators and Representatives as soon as possible and ask them to oppose 
this proposal. Tell them to raise the state's minimum wage to the 
federal level of $7.25, remove the annual inflation adjustment and adopt 
a youth wage at the federal rate that applies to all workers under the 
age of 18.

Thank you.

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
https://www.votervoice.net/link/target/mnchamber/MfGgJ2W9F.aspx

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