Hobby Lobby announced Tuesday that workers will see a bump in the company’s minimum full-time hourly wage come January 1, 2022. The retailer will be increasing pay for full-time workers by $1.50 over last year’s increase, totaling $18.50.
Hobby Lobby set a minimum hourly wage well above the federal minimum wage in 2009. It “has since raised its minimum wage twelve times over the last thirteen years.” Meanwhile, the federal minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour.
“We have a long track record of taking care of our employees,” said Hobby Lobby founder and CEO David Green in a statement. The company has “worked hard over the years to provide the best pay and benefits in retail, which has allowed us to attract and retain an outstanding group of associates to serve our devoted customers,” he added.
The chain raised its full-time minimum wage to $15 in 2014, long before other companies began to do so. Last year, the company increased its minimum to $17 for full-time employees. Part-time employees are paid a base salary of $13 per hour.
The Oklahoma-based arts and crafts chain employs more than 43,000 throughout its 956 stores.
