STATEMENT: Raising the Minimum Wage 'Doesn't Help Anybody'

Date: February 12, 2014

Gil White, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, West Virginia’s leading small-business association, released the following statement today on a bill to raise the state’s minimum wage:

“Our members are terribly disappointed that the Legislature is even considering raising West Virginia’s minimum wage.

“The fact of the matter is that raising the minimum wage really doesn’t help anybody, especially the people it’s supposed to help.

“Businesses, especially small businesses, have only so much money. If the government drives up the cost of labor, then employers can’t hire as many workers. It’s that simple.

“The minimum wage is for workers with few skills and little to no experience. If the cost of labor goes up, employers are going to hire older, more experienced workers. They’re not going to hire young people just entering the workforce or those without skills or experience.

“We’re asking the Senate to take a second look at what raising the state minimum wage would mean to West Virginia’s small-business owners, their employees and, most importantly, their families.”

NFIB/West Virginia has almost 2,000 dues-paying members representing a cross section of the state’s economy.

PHOTO: O Palsson/Wikipedia

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