Minimum wage for workers no Long Island is set to
go up at the end of December.
Most businesses will soon be required to pay
employees at least $15 an hour, which is not sitting well with some owners.
George Starkie has owned Starkie Bros. Garden
Center in Farmingdale since 1982. He says increasing the minimum wage will have
a great effect on his payroll and in the kind of employee he can hire.
"I'm always begging the elected to do the
right thing and have an entry level wage," Starkie says.
He says the new wage makes it "almost
impossible" to hire high schoolers and give them an entry level job.
Starkie says wages are increasing so the scale is
going up for everybody.
Todd Kirschner, co-owner of Trio Hardware and
Paint in Plainview, says he has 18 employees and that the increase won't have
much of an effect on him.
"As far as money management and just
preparing, don't be surprised," Kirschner says. "Just plan
ahead."