By Ledyard King, Charisse Jones, Paul Davidson and Michael Collins
USA Today, April 7, 2021
... Some business owners, like Jim Wellehan, owner of Lamey Wellehan Shoes, a chain of six stores in Maine, supports a $15 minimum wage for the nation. Most of his 100 or so employees already earn at least that much. Bumping the rest up to $15 would deliver a “modest” hit to profits, but it would be worth it, he said.
“It’s what we should be doing. We try to take care of our people," said Wellehan whose company also has a 401(k) matching plan.
Rebecca Hamilton, co-CEO of New Hampshire-based W.S. Badger Company, which makes skincare products, told a House Small Business subcommittee recently that paying her employees no less than $15 an hour has helped her small firm.
"This approach has enabled us to spend virtually zero dollars on recruitment while retaining an engaged and committed workforce for the past 25 years," she told lawmakers. "By retaining experienced staff, we've seen increased productivity, less waste and fewer errors which is important in a manufacturing facility ... The success of our business is directly tied to the dedication of our staff." ...