This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Terrapin Care Station is one of the four marijuana shops in Longmont with other locations in the Denver metro area and in Boulder.
On November 12, the company announced that they were raising their minimum wage to $15 an hour.
This announcement was prompted by a proposal before the Finance and Governance Committee of the Denver City Council to raise the minimum wage in Denver to $15.87 by 2022.
Not wanting to make employees wait three years to make a living wage, Terrapin decided to implement the raise now.
“Terrapin wants to lead by example, which is why we are doing this on our own, regardless of what happens with Denver’s minimum wage proposal,” said Chris Woods, owner and chief executive of Terrapin Care Station. “We know that this is the right thing to do to retain employees and provide a living wage as the cost of living continues to spike.”
Terrapin will raise employee pay across all states and all departments. They plan to use this as a template for new markets as well.
“Raising the minimum wage companywide isn’t going to solve all of the problems associated with the skyrocketing cost of living we’re seeing, but it’s an important tool to provide some comfort for people as they struggle to make ends meet,” Woods added. “We value our employees, but more importantly, we understand the uphill battle that many of them face every day. We hope to inspire other business leaders to create a level playing field for all as the living wage debate builds nationwide.”
