Contact: Blake Case
blake@emccommunications.com, 601-832-6079
March 10, 2026 — Today, business owners are supporting new legislation to gradually raise New York City’s minimum wage. Aaron Seyedian, owner of Well-Paid Maids, a cleaning company with employees in New York City, joined Council Member Sandy Nurse and other city leaders announcing the introduction of a bill that would incrementally raise the minimum wage to $30. Seydian and other business leaders say that raising the minimum wage will help New Yorkers make ends meet and boost businesses and the economy by increasing consumer spending. In addition, they say it will reduce costly employee turnover and improve productivity and customer service, among reasons they support raising the minimum wage.
“Raising New York City’s minimum wage is an investment in people, businesses and the economy,” said Aaron Seyedian, owner of Well-Paid Maids. “The cleaning industry is known for low pay, but we’ve shown it doesn’t have to be that way. By investing in our people, we benefit from low employee turnover, high productivity and great customer service. And if we can do it in cleaning, it can work in every industry. People want to work for us, and that allows us to grow. We avoid costly turnover, which between advertising a job, interviewing and hiring a candidate, and training and equipping them, costs us at least $7,000 per employee. As an employer, I’ve seen what happens when people earn a decent wage and are able to switch out of survival mode. They move into more stable and better housing, they fix their car, they get their children new clothes and school supplies, they buy a laptop, they treat their families to a meal out. And all those dollars go right back into the economy, supporting other businesses.”
John Salzinger, founder of HAVEN lantern, said, “As a native New Yorker, I can say that New York City is becoming unaffordable in general and I support the upward movement in minimum wage to at least $30. Approximately 2 million New Yorkers live below the poverty line. This represents about 25% of the city's population, meaning 1 in 4 New Yorkers are officially in poverty. This includes roughly 1.6 million adults and 420,000 children. Half of all NYC renters are rent-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing, and 30% of renters are severely rent-burdened, spending more than 50% of their pre-tax income on rent. MIT’s Living Wage Calculator currently estimates that a single adult needs to earn more than $32 per hour in Brooklyn, more than $35 in Queens, and roughly $38 in Manhattan to cover basic necessities without assistance. A $30 wage brings workers significantly closer to that reality than the current $17. We believe it is essential for all to not only have the opportunity to work for a living, but to thrive.”
Maura Keaney, Senior Vice President, Amalgamated Bank, said, “Amalgamated Bank is proud to support the $30 for Our City campaign. As a financial institution headquartered in New York City with longstanding support for ‘Fight for 15’ and workers’ rights, we see minimum wage as a vital tool in building thriving and resilient communities and businesses. The affordability crisis in the City continues to grow while other US cities increase their minimum wages – it’s time for New York City to raise our minimum wage.”
The proposed legislation establishes a phased minimum wage increase initially tied to employer size. Employers with more than 500 employees (including associated franchisees) would be required to pay workers $20 an hour in 2027, $23 in 2028, $26 in 2029, and $30 starting in 2030. Employers with 500 or fewer employees would have a more gradual phase-in: $19 in 2027, $21.50 in 2028, $24 in 2029, $27 in 2030, and $29 in 2031. Starting in 2032, the minimum wage for all employers, regardless of size, would be $30 plus a cost of living adjustment. After that, the minimum wage would continue to increase annually to keep pace with the cost of living.
There is a long record of research looking at the impact of minimum wage increases, which shows they do not have negative employment effects. They do have positive effects such as increasing consumer spending, reducing costly employee turnover, and improving productivity, health and safety, and customer service.
To speak with business leaders supportive of raising the minimum wage, please contact Blake Case at blake@emccommunications.com or (601) 832-6079.
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Business for a Fair Minimum Wage is a national network of business owners and executives and business organizations that believe fair pay makes good business sense. www.businessforafairminimumwage.org.