The commonwealth of Massachusetts raised the legal hourly wage that an employer can pay his/her employees on the first of this month. Whereas it had been $8 per hour the new minimum is $9.
This may sound like a great deal for marginal employees but is it?
As an employer and small business owner that is making less than minimum wage as I struggle to grow my business I have a different perspective.
While I was paying my few employees a little more than the minimum last week, now I’m only paying the minimum legal wage. Next January the minimum wage will be raised again to $10/hr and in 2017 it is to be raised again to $11/hr.
Hopefully my business will still be around in 2017 and I’ll be forced to deal with the wage issue the best I can. Suppose I’ll have to raise prices or cut back hours. And forget hiring a high school student looking for a first job.
Category Archives: Business
10 ideas – ways to cut overhead
Exercising my “idea muscle”. Ten ways I might be able to reduce overhead at my store.
1. Under-staff on most days and have extra labor only when we get behind
2. Cancel that store cell phone we don’t use.
3. Reduce animal inventory even more to cut down on labor, towels, electricity. food, etc.
4. Move to a cheaper location.
5. Seal the windows to be more energy efficient.
6. Charge employees for water bottles.*
7. Get rid of the live plants.
8. Shop around for cheaper insurance.
9. Stop taking in people’s unwanted animals.
10. Find better deals on deli cups, towels, etc.
These are just items that came to mind.
* Some are not very great ideas.