Nicole Riley, state director of
the National Federation of Independent Business, 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 some
members of the General Assembly would even consider raising the state minimum
wage.
“Businesses, especially small businesses, have only
so much money. If the government raises 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.
“That’s why we’re asking the Legislature to take a
second look at what raising the state minimum wage would mean to Virginia’s
small-business owners, their employees and, most importantly, their families.”
NFIB/Virginia has over 5,000 dues-paying members
representing a cross section of the state’s economy.
