NO MATTER WHAT industry you’re in, be it transporta- tion, healthcare or agribusiness, there are policies protecting employees after they’re hired. These policies allow employers to set out a standard of rules and rights that all employees have: overtime compensation, minimum wages and benefit packages depending on your status at a business. While these policies are put in place to protect and help employees, companies need to be extremely aware of changes in these policies and how it might affect hiring processes and talent retention. Minimum Wage One of the most heated topics surrounding labor is the policy on minimum wage. Since 2009, the federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 an hour, but in the United States, some states have different minimum wages. For example, minimum wage in Indiana has been $7.25 since 2015, while California’s minimum wage was raised to $11 as of Jan. 1, 2018. While some states haven’t experienced an increase in minimum wage, others are facing an increase or a lobby for Labor policies protect talent, but how do they affect your operation? Alex Martin amartin@issuesink.com an increase. One of the most noted areas of change is in Washington, D.C. On June 27, 2016, Muriel Bowser, the mayor of D.C., signed the Fair Shot Minimum Wage Amendment Act of 2016, which will make the minimum wage $15 an hour by 2020. According to the act, the minimum wage will rise each year until 2020, increasing from $11.50 an hour. As of 2018, the minimum wage in Washington, D.C., was $13.25 an hour, and another increase is expected in July. However, this trend of increasing minimum wage isn’t neces- sarily a good thing for agriculture. As of Jan. 1, 2018, Ontario increased its minimum wage from $11 to $14 an hour. “The increase in minimum wage was almost overnight,” says Wayne Gale, president of Stokes Seeds. “It was quite a shock to all our companies and customers. In particular, it’s very difficult for farmers with farm labor — Ontario really didn’t listen to agriculture needs or give agriculture a break on the passed regulations.” Gale shares that even though Stokes pays above minimum wage, its wage grid was off due to the minimum wage increase. In response, they had to hike their wage grid up by $1.25, which was more expensive than just increasing minimum wage. While it seems like hiking up minimum wage would be benefi- cial and easy, there are some consequences that come with it. One industry suffering is the horticulture industry, which still requires a tremendous amount of hand labor, Gale says. “We have sweet corn farms that need all hands-on deck,” he says. “In Ontario, you have to pay migrant workers the same minimum wage. “A lot of farms are deciding it isn’t worth the trouble, and that they can grow field crops instead. That’s the danger: what about food sustainability?” Without vegetable farmers in the North, Gale wonders where food will begin to come from. “Ontario is hurting, because Quebec didn’t increase its mini- mum wage, so the grocery stores didn’t increase their prices. It makes it difficult for the Ontario farmer to recoup,” he says. One reason that minimum wage is being increased is to provide a living wage for baristas, waiters and others who live in larger cities, such as New York City or Toronto, where housing is more expensive. WAGE POLICIES NOT MADE FOR RURAL BUSINESSES 6 / SEEDWORLD.COM FEBRUARY 2019