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Employers look to hold down prices after minimum-wage hike

Kelley McCall/News Tribune Box office cashier Ashley Weddle, 17, counts change after a ticket sale Saturday at the Capital 8 Theatres. Weddle will see a slight increase in her paycheck now that the federal minimum wage has increased 20 cents an hour to $7.25. To view this and other photographs, please visit www.newstribune.com/photos.

By Jeff Haldiman jhaldiman@newstribune.com

Published: Sunday, July 26, 2009 12:27 PM CDT

Although the increase in the minimum wage kicked in Friday, some Jefferson City business owners and managers said customers should not see immediate affects on prices of goods they purchase.

Of the 11 people on the staff at Zesto Drive-In, just off the Whitton Expressway, five of those are high school students and their pay went to $7.25 an hour.

"We have a very good customer base so it won't affect us as long as the people keep coming in,"

said owner Kevin Berger. "No prices will be altered, and I hope I can hold them steady as long as possible."

The $7.25 amount takes precedent over the $7.05 an hour minimum wage that Missouri had set. The state will follow the federal level at least until January.

That's good news for Zesto worker Jessica Roberts.

"Every little bit helps," said the 16-yearold Fatima High School student. "When you have car and insurance payments more money always helps."

"I haven't seen an increase in people coming out looking for a job because this is going to happen," Berger added.

In 2006, Missouri voters approved a measure requiring the state to recalculate its minimum wage annually based on the change in the national Consumer Price Index. If that results in a state minimum wage higher than the federal one, then the Missouri minimum wage will again kick in.

For tipped employees, they must be paid half of the state minimum wage rate, but if the tipped employee does not make up the other half of the minimum wage in tips, the employer is required to pay the difference.

At Capital 8 Theatres, operated by Goodrich Theaters, around 30 employees would be in line to see an increase.


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boscoe wrote on Jul 27, 2009 4:11 PM:

" I hear "rampant inflation coming" when I read this story. "

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Countercouple wrote on Jul 26, 2009 9:11 PM:

" I hear future job loss when I read this story. "

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