In the news:
Originally published January 31, 2012 at 8:50 PM | Page modified January 31, 2012 at 8:53 PM
State bills to lower pay miss deadline
Bills that would have lowered the minimum wage for workers who get tips have been put aside in Olympia.
OLYMPIA — Washington state lawmakers have shelved a series of bills that would lower wages at the bottom of the income scale in an effort to spur private-sector hiring.
The five Republican-sponsored bills failed to come up for a House committee vote Tuesday ahead of a key deadline.
Rep. Cary Condotta, R-East Wenatchee, said his goal in sponsoring the bills was to encourage employers to hire more workers, particularly in struggling areas of Eastern Washington.
"The little guys are what's getting hurt," Condotta said. "They can't push the prices up any more. They can't complete."
Among the bills was one to implement a tip-credit allowing restaurant owners to pay waiters and other tipped employees less than the minimum wage.
More than 40 states have tip credits, with waiters in many states paid less than $3 an hour.
