DELAWARE- The new year will mean more money for lower wage workers. The Delaware Department of Labor says the state minimum wage will increase to $13.25 on January first. Minimum wage in Delaware is currently $11.75.
One local store employee says the increase is necessary.
"It's important for the people who live paycheck to paycheck because right now that paycheck you were making a year ago, you can't make it from pay check to pay check now," explained Karen Lee, who works at Sierra Moon Surf and Skate.
Lee believes the increase will help people, especially those with multiple jobs.
"Some people have to work two or three jobs, and they work 80 hours a week just to make ends meet, that's just not right", said Lee.
One business owner worry how the increased minimum wage will impact small businesses.
"It's a struggle because not only since Covid have our products increased, gas, fuel, all of our transit, as well payrolls increase, but the small businesses sales have not increased to that ration, so people are struggling, and having to cut and be tighter on things, maybe not open as many days, so it does affect the small business the most we just don't have that money that can flow in like corporations do," said Michiko Seto, owner of Blooming Boutique.
Seto would like to see tiered system to help out smaller businesses.
"If we're going to add a youth wage or summer help wage to for those that are like 14, 15 year old that are just coming out to just learn about the workforce and experience their first job, and it's kind a hard for a small business to put that on their payroll," said Seto.
In 2025, the Delaware Department of Labor says the minimum wage will increase to $15.00.
