Starting Monday July 1st, the Pasadena City Council added an extra dollar per hour to the lowest wage earners’ paychecks.
Companies with 26 or more workers raised wages to $14.25 per hour, and companies with 25 or less employees raised their wges to $13.25 per hour.
But with the recent raises over the last few years, has there even been an impact? Officials say the expected “catastrophes” that experts expected have not happened, but instead, workers are now in a better position to pay bills.
Though, according to a study from April of this year, funded by the Restaurant Association, U.C. Riverside School of Business Center for Economic Forecasting and Development states the increase of the minimum wage has decreased growth of employment in the industry and will lead to thousands of fewer created jobs.
Also, according to Paul Little, Pasadena Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, people are now being hired to do one and a half, or even two jobs, to compensate, leading to fewer job opportunities, and the expectancy to have more skills and experience.
Overall, the journey to $15 per hour is still en route and Mayor Turnek states that they are proud of the accomplishments thus far.
