Are employers wanting to raise the minimum wage for Rhode Island jobs?

Posted on October 3, 2016

Some employers may be thinking about raising the minimum wage for Rhode Island jobs, among other jobs, according to a recent Careerbuilder survey.

This year employers think minimum wage should be raised more than ever before. Only 5 percent of all employers believe the federal minimum wage ($7.25 per hour) is fair. The majority (67 percent) feel a fair minimum wage is $10 or more per hour, up from 61 percent last year; and 15 percent say a fair minimum wage is $15 or more per hour, up from 11 percent last year. Sixty-four percent of employers believe minimum wage should be increased in their state, up from 62 percent in 2014.

“Fair wages and benefits such as paid sick days are a hot political topic right now, and they’re also on employers’ minds as the public and private sector continue to work to provide good jobs, which will lead to a stronger, more stable workforce, leading ultimately to a healthier economy,” said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer for CareerBuilder.

Thirty percent of employers plan to hire minimum wage workers this year, up from 26 percent last year. Although 67 percent of employers feel a fair minimum wage is $10 or more per hour, of those hiring minimum wage workers this year, almost half (48 percent) said they’re going to pay less than $10. Here’s a breakdown of what employees plan on paying minimum wage workers this year:

• Less than $8:00: 11 percent
• $8.00-$8.99 per hour: 23 percent
• $9.00-$9.99 per hour: 14 percent
• $10.00-$10.99 per hour: 21 percent
• $11.00-$11.99 per hour: 7 percent
• $12.00-$12.99 per hour: 8 percent
• $13.00-$13.99 per hour: 6 percent
• $14.00-$14.99 per hour: 5 percent
• $15.00 or more per hour: 6 percent

When asked why they think the minimum wage in their state should be increased, employers who agreed with the sentiment most often said because it can improve standard of living (72 percent) followed by because it can have a positive effect on employee retention (59 percent) and because it can help bolster the economy (53 percent). Those who do not think minimum wage should be increased in their state said they believe this because it can potentially cause employers to hire less people (67 percent), because it can cause issues for small businesses who are struggling to get by (66 percent) and because it can cause hikes in prices to offset labor costs (65 percent).