Nevada's minimum wage set to rise

Page Last Updated: Tuesday June 29, 2010 9:02pm PDT

Minimum Wage

Victoria Campbell, News 4

The federal minimum wage is set to rise Thursday. In Nevada, employees who receive health insurance from their employers will receive at least $7.25 per hour, while those who do not receive health insurance will earn $8.25 per hour.

But the change is prompting a mixed reaction among business owners and employees.

"It's a struggle," said Josh Loftis, who has worked for minimum wage in the past and is now making a higher hourly wage at Zephyr Books. "But you have to look at it as an employer-- what it costs for them to pay for those employees, and whether they'll be able to stay in business and stay afloat."

Paper Moon manager Sarah Tonn says she knows her bottom line costs will rise, but is hoping higher wages will encourage more people to shop.

"I'm hoping that since minimum wage is going up, they'll have more money in their pockets and will come here to support local small business," she said.

But at least one small business owner--Jessice Schneider of Junkee Clothes-- says it won't affect her at all because she pays higher-than-minimum wages to her workers.

"You can't survive on [minimum wage]," she said. "If I do well, my employees do well. I'm a firm believer in the trickle-down effect: If I'm doing okay, the employees will do okay."

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