Local nonprofits ponder impact of Eureka's Measure R

◼ Fair Wage Act' comes up for a vote next month - Clay McGlaughlin/Times-Standard

On Nov. 4, voters in Eureka will have a chance to decide whether to approve Measure R, otherwise known as the "Eureka Fair Wage Act."

If the measure passes, it will compel businesses within city limits that employ 25 people or more to raise the minimum wage to $12 per hour after 90 days. The current minimum wage in California is $9 per hour. Nonprofit organizations with 25 or more employees would also be included, though the measure, if passed, gives them a year-and-a-half to phase in the change.

One of the main questions for nonprofits and businesses alike is how the measure would affect compensation for salaried employees — also called "exempt employees," meaning exempt from overtime requirements....

"It's an interesting position for some of the larger nonprofits to be in, because the ones with a social justice mission want to act within their mission, but they also realize the challenge of acting within their budgets," said Amy Jester, program manager at Humboldt Area Foundation. "It's a dilemma, really, because they want to do the right thing but they're always facing budget cuts and working hard at fundraising."

◼ Eureka's Measure R — Fair? No! - Charlie Bean/Times-Standard LETTER TO THE EDITOR

◼ Editorial: Fair Wage Act unfair to city — vote no on R - Times-Standard