By Monica Stabile
Springfield Business Journal, July 5, 2017

The Illinois General Assembly’s approval last month of a measure to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour over a five-year period has drawn mixed reviews among the business community. ...

Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, a national group comprised of business owners who support gradually raising the minimum wage to at least $12 per hour by [2020], says that workers who earn more money drive the economy by spending more, leading businesses to see a rise in consumer demand, resulting in job creation....

By Natalie Kitroeff
Los Angeles Times, July 1, 2017

More than half a million Angelenos stand to get a raise this weekend, making the city the latest testing ground in the drive to boost incomes of bottom-rung workers. ...

By Julia Horowitz
CNN Money, June 30, 2017

A lot of Americans are getting a raise this holiday weekend. Minimum wage hikes take effect Saturday in cities, counties and states across the country.

Interview by Jaisal Noor
Real News Network, June 30, 2017

Economic Policy Institute's Ben Zipperer and small business owner Andrew Buerger discuss the overwhelming data that shows minimum wage increases don't hurt employment, and why uplifting workers also has broader benefits.

Op-Ed By John Traynor, Owner, Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center, The Kitchen & Gallery Bar
Pennsylvania's minimum wage is stuck in the past and that's bad for business. ...

By Nick Perez
Sacramento Bee, June 28, 2017

On July 1, the minimum wage will increase in Oregon, Maryland and Washington, D.C. – but California will still have fourth-highest minimum wage in the country.

By Cole Lauterbach
Illinois News Network, June 26, 2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner has received a bill that would set a $15 minimum wage in Illinois, tying the Prairie State for the highest rate in the nation.

WBEZ-FM Radio, June 22, 2017

LISTEN

Business owners want Governor Bruce Rauner to sign a bill to increase Illinois's minimum wage. The legislation passed last month that eventually would raise Illinois' minimum wage to $15 an hour by the year 2022. David Borris owns Hel's Kitchen, a catering company in suburban Northbrook. "If they want to enact enlightened public policy, which we are one signature away from doing, right, we would recognize the idea that rising wages is good for all small businesses and even good for big business too." Borris says a higher wage would increase worker retention and lower turnover costs.
 

By Greg Hinz
Crain's Chicago Business, June 21, 2017

Much of the state's business community is vehemently opposed to a bill now on its way to Gov. Bruce Rauner that would hike the state's minimum wage to $15 by 2022. But some firms are all in favor, and they're revving up a campaign to get Rauner to go along.

In a conference call today, owners of three Illinois companies, all in the consumer field where cost-cutting is particularly important, say they've learned that there are distinct advantages to them and their customers to keeping labor happy.

Kelly...

By Tierney Plumb
Eater, June 6, 2017

Michael Lastoria, co-founder and CEO of burgeoning chain &pizza, provided attendees at the sold-out MCON, a millennial conference about social movements, on Tuesday with a break down of where his homegrown restaurant is headed — highlighting how he’s already beating some major players in the fast-casual food scene. The crash course in pizzanomics took place at MCON, the socio-political gathering that drew about 1,000 to the Newseum this week ... In true millennial fashion, here are some quick-hit business stats Lasotoria shared on June 6. ...

Soon to hit 24. The NoMad store...

By Cymphanie Sherman
Fox Illinois, May 31, 2017

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WRSP) — A bill which would raise minimum wage in the state of Illinois passed the House on Tuesday. It proposes raising the current minimum wage from $8.25 to $15 an hour.

One local business Café Moxo is already paying their employees $15. “We felt it was necessary for our employees to earn a little more of a wage than they could earn some other places here in Springfield,” explained Mark Forinash, the owner of Café Moxo. ...

Read more

Capitol Fax, May 30, 2017

... Members of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage representing a range of industries across Illinois commented in support of raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2022.

Dan Sherry, Owner, Kennedy’s Creative Awards, Waukegan: “Gradually raising Illinois’ minimum wage to $15 is the smart thing to do for our state, our businesses and our people. We start our employees now at $12 an hour and treat them well in order to retain quality staff. And it works. Our staff turnover is low, which results in fantastic customer service and...

Op-Ed By Peter Frigeri
Nevada Independent, May 25, 2017

As Nevada’s legislative session winds down, lawmakers are trying to send to Gov. Brian Sandoval’s desk several progressive economic measures including an increase in the minimum wage to $12 an hour and new equal pay protections for working women. With polls showing strong public support for higher wages, Gov. Sandoval may soon get to show the voters which side he’s on: whether he stands with struggling working Nevadans – or with special interests who don’t want to have to pay their workers a penny more.

While...

Op-Ed By Robert Olson, Owner, Olson & Associates, Illinois
People are at the heart of our business — from our employees to our customers. ...Raising the minimum wage will help us restore the fading American Dream for both workers and businesses...

By Grace Schweizer
The Penny Hoarder, May 11, 2017. Also AOL Finance

If you’re looking for a job, you might want to take your resume over to your nearest Costco. Why? Well, the popular warehouse giant was just named America’s Best Employer of 2017 (plus, it’s one of those companies that seems to be constantly hiring).

Better Than Google?!

Forbes, in conjunction with Statista, asked 30,000 employees from large companies across the U.S. this important question: On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to recommend your employer to a friend or family member? They...