Minimum Wage Changes Could Have Maximum Impact on Pay Scales

Rich Meneghello was quoted in Corporate Counsel on December 23, 2015. The article “Minimum Wage Changes Could Have Maximum Impact on Pay Scales” discussed the debate about raising the federal minimum wage, currently set at $7.25 an hour unless federal contractors are involved.

“The fast-food industry is interesting because in a lot of ways that’s driving the trend of increasing the minimum wage,” said Rich. It makes sense that this sector would take the lead, he explains, because as service workers at restaurants, the group is highly visible to many consumers. Fast-food workers all over the country have protested publicly for higher pay, led by such advocacy groups as Fight for $15.

No matter which of these new laws a company has to comply with, there will be adjustments in pay structure. Rich said that what’s sometimes forgotten in discussions about these adjustments is that raising the minimum wage often affects more workers than just the lowest-paid at a company. “Increasing minimum wage doesn’t just have impact of increasing minimum wage,” he said. “It’s probably going to increase midlevel salaries as well.”

To read the full article, please visit Corporate Counsel.