Hobby Lobby sets its own pace on hourly wages

Type the text hereNational craft retailer Hobby Lobby based in Oklahoma said it had raised its hourly wage for full time staff to a minimum of $14 per hour. Part-time workers were also given a raise with minimum pay bumped from $9 per hour to $9.50, The Daily Oklahoman said Monday. For full-time workers, the raise from a previous minimum of $13 per hour puts their pay at 93 percent higher than the federal minimum wage, which is $7.25 per hour. Wages for part-time workers at Hobby Lobby's new rate are 31 percent above the federal minimum wage. The retailer's Web site says the company operates 513 stores. The Oklahoman said the wage hikes will affect the paychecks of 17,726 workers. "We know that if we reward our employees for their hard work, we will be rewarded in turn with their loyalty and dedication to their job and to our customers," said Hobby Lobby founder and Chief Executive Officer David Green in a statement. The retailer has plans to open 33 more stores in 2013, creating 1,200 jobs in the process. It is the fifth consecutive year the company has given full-time workers a raise, the newspaper said.