NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — You may soon see a little extra money in your paycheck.
On Monday, the new minimum wage for Nevada workers went up to $12 an hour and it impacts many people across the Las Vegas valley.
I visited a coffee shop in North Las Vegas to find out how rising costs are affecting everyone, from employers to employees to customers.
Customer Christine Gorlin tells me she's been feeling the pinch more than usual lately.
"Over time, you are starting to go this coffee used to cost me $5 and now it is $6," Gorlin said. "It adds up quickly."
With the minimum wage going up, consumers like Gorlin may start to see more owners having to increase their prices.
JJ Wylie, co-owner of Grouchy John's Coffee, tells me with the minimum wage going up by 75 cents an hour, he's had to increase his prices by 25 to 50 cents. However, Wylie said he wants to be fair to all his workers and his customers.
"We gave all of our employees that raise to keep our pay scale equitable among both our new employees and our more senior employees," Wylie explained. "We don't want to burden our customers by increasing prices and we are cognizant of that and we want to keep prices as competitive as possible."
Barista Olivia Cameron says the new wage increase comes as welcome news as the cost of living continues to rise.
"This did come at a really good time," Cameron said. "It is a little bit harder to afford life here in Las Vegas."
For the rest of us, Gorlin advises being very intentional about where you spend your money.
"If you are going to spend $7 on a coffee, make sure it will go to someone local who will be much more impacted by those $7 as opposed to a corporation."
Also, starting on Monday, July 1, employees earning $18 an hour or more will qualify for overtime pay at one and a half times their regular rate, if they work over 40 hours in a week.
Employees earning less than $18 per hour will also receive overtime pay at one and a half times their regular rate, if they work eight hours in a day or more than 40 hours a week.
Exemptions include employees under 18, those in nonprofit after-school or summer programs, trainees for 90 days or less, and those covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement.
