Maryland’s new minimum wage is already hurting small business and eliminating jobs
“The new minimum wage in Montgomery County is already eliminating low-paying jobs. In the small town where I live, we’ve had three fast food restaurants for over 30 years. As the minimum wage increased, two closed this past year. That is probably a loss of 30 or more jobs in our small town. While minimum wage laws do not require anyone under 19 to be paid the new mandated wage, a workplace that is open all day must rely on workers who are not in high school. The closing of a restaurant site takes those jobs away entirely and ensures there are a fewer jobs for teens too, some of whom might learn money management skills like my teens did. Then again, some teens may actually need the work to augment family income, and now they won’t have it.”