By Julie Wernau |
Good news for employees at Hobby Lobby — the arts, crafts and hobby store with 29 locations in Illinois. The company announced today that they are increasing the minimum wage for full-time employees at Hobby Lobby, Hemispheres and Crafts Etc! to $11 per hour, which is 52 percent above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Part-time employees are now starting out at a minimum of $8 per hour, the company said.

This is the second year the company, which carries no long-term debt, has announced an increase in the minimum wage of its employees. During last year’s downturn, Hobby Lobby raised the minimum wage for full-time employees to $10 per hour. The move increased the pay for more than 6,900 employees and increased their monthly pay in some cases to by nearly $600.

David Green, CEO and founder, said the move is an attempt to reward
employees for the success of the company. The company plans to expand
this year, adding an additional 25 stores to what are 435 locations in
35 states, employing 18,500 employees.

“We believe the success of Hobby Lobby is directly attributable to our
outstanding employees and our strong corporate values, which are based
on biblical principles, including integrity, service to others and
giving back to those in need,” Green said in a statement.