Employers facing financial hardships can apply for a one-year delay via a waiver with the city. Still, many small-business owners in West Hollywood are speaking out against the higher wage, saying they are reaching a breaking point and need relief to avoid closing.
But the challenge brought by the pandemic, he said, doesn’t compare to his current financial headaches. Tudor said his business lost $100,000 in the first fiscal quarter this year, after the city in January implemented a $1 minimum wage increase for medium to large businesses, bringing it to $17.50 an hour.
Instead of an across-the-board raise in minimum wages, he would favor New York City’s wage policy. There,, but up to $5 can be made from tips, meaning owners can pay as little as $10 an hour. “You can be laying out hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in extra payroll,” Latteri said. “It’s not just strictly wages.”The City Council’s wage increase in 2021 included a stipulation that restaurants provide a minimum of 12 days of paid personal leave time and 10 additional days of unpaid time, he said.