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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Homeowners call National Cemetery a 'poor neighbor' over expansion plans ... Digs will uncover history of Indian war on coast ... Judge prevails in recall linked to Oregon wildlife refuge takeover ... Homeowners call National Cemetery a 'poor neighbor' over expansion plans ... Digs will uncover history of Indian war on coast ... Judge prevails in recall linked to Oregon wildlife refuge takeover ... LABOR Oregon businesses wary of minimum wage hike First of seven annual increases goes into effect on Friday Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Jun. 28, 2016 at 2:00 AM By The Associated Press Posted Jun. 28, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Social News CORVALLIS — Small business owners in Oregon say they are worried about how the first of a series of minimum wage increases will affect both their profits and their employees. Oregon's minimum wage on Friday jumps from $9.25 an hour to $9.75 in Oregon counties with a mix of urban and rural areas. It is the first of seven annual increases that will raise the minimum wage to $13.50 in the summer of 2022 in mixed areas, $14.75 in Portland and $12.50 in nonurban areas. In Benton County, owners of restaurants, farms, retail establishments and nonprofits say the increased labor cost will be hard for their businesses, the Corvallis Gazette-Times reported. "It's going to impact us a lot. Half of our employees are minimum-wage folks," said Kaymarie Novak, business manager of Novak's Hungarian Restaurant in downtown Albany. Janet Steele, executive director of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, said it's possible the increased labor costs will be passed on to customers with meals, products and services coming with a higher price tag. That increased cost will be compounded as goods make their way to market. If the price of flour, milk and eggs increases, the price of bread will increase by the sum of those ingredient's increases. Mark Martin, who owns the Calapooia Brewing Co. in Albany, said he is a huge proponent of paying a living wage, but he's going to have to increase prices because he will be facing higher prices on goods and from distributors thanks to the wage increase. "I think it's a great thing for people who work minimum-wage jobs, but it's going to hurt the small businesses like us," Martin said. While retail businesses can increase the price to compensate, Denver Pugh of Pugh Seed Farm near Shedd said agriculture is not left with much of a choice. His farm has no control over its two biggest expenses, and if he tries to raise the price, customers may just buy elsewhere. "We're price-takers, not price-setters, so I think agriculture is going to get hit the hardest," he said. In terms of employment, the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis reported that there are expected to be 40,000 fewer jobs by 2025 than would have been created without the minimum wage legislation. According the report, the office is not predicting job losses, but rather a slower period of job growth. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Jun. 28, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501