By John Smith
WAER/NPR (Syracuse U, NY), Jan 3, 2020
New York's minimum wage increased across the state this week to $11.80 an hour – outside of New York City - and one Ithaca business owner says she’s ok with it. Jan Rhodes Norman owns Ithaca Made and Silk Oak clothing and has already been paying two full-time employees higher than the state’s minimum wage for years now. They earn $15.37 an hour. ...
Rhodes-Norman is part of a network, Businesses for a Fair Minimum Wage. She says it’s good when workers have more expendable income, which ultimately gets pumped back into the local economy. She adds that quality of work and longer retention rates of employees are better with a higher wage.
“I think in terms of general profitability of your business there’s a lot to be said for having a skilled staff that’s happy with their job and wants to keep it.” ...