(01/03/12) Vermonters earning minimum wage had reason to celebrate this New Year's Day. The state's minimum wage is indexed to the cost of living. And that pushed Vermont's minimum up 31 cents yesterday, from $8.15 an hour to $8.46. It was one of 8 states to raise its minimum wage on Jan. 1, and now has the third highest minimum in the country. Minimum wage in New York State is the same as the federal rate, $7.25 an hour.
Kelly Byers runs Leonardo’s Pizza in Burlington. He
says the wage increase may squeeze his bottom line. “It’ll hurt a
little bit but I think it’s worth it to pay the employees what they deserve,” Byers said.
Charles Handy owns Handy’s service center down the
road. He says increasing minimum wage won’t effect his business. “Nobody works
at minimum wage anyway in this state here," Handy said. "You know we generally start way
above minimum wage and that’s the only way you could even hire anybody.”
Vermont has the third-highest minimum wage in the
country. It was one of 8 states to raise its minimum wage on Jan 1. Minimum
wage in New York state is the same as the federal rate, $7.25 an hour.
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