As a business owner in manufacturing – the morning after I heard that the minimum wage was going up in NJ – I went to a robotics show in the Javits Center and I am now working on a plan to automate as much as possible in my factory so that we need as few people as possible. Unfortunately even this won’t help fully because everything will soon cost more due to fast food, gas stations, and everyone else having to raise the prices on everything to pay their labor but at least I will save money on employees that are asking for more than they are worth. Business owners are not stupid people and government can never outsmart basic economics. Minimum wage was for a time years past when there were no laws to protect employees but that is supposed to be a starting point and you are supposed to prove yourself and move up as you become more valuable to your employer. Unfortunately this will hurt those starting out the most because no one will higher inexperienced people now.
Menu