Bravo's Lisa Vanderpump Argues Against Raising Minimum Wage for Employees
The former 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star owns several restaurants in West Hollywood.
On Wednesday night, West Hollywood’s city council voted to raise the city’s minimum wage from between $13 and $14 an hour to $17.64 an hour. Once it goes into effect, West Hollywood will have the highest minimum wage in the country. The vote passed unanimously overnight during a city council meeting, but not all in attendance were in favor. Indeed, at least one person who believes “life isn’t all diamonds and rosé (but it should be)” expressed hesitance at the idea that those who keep her Sexy Unique Restaurant running might earn something close to a Sexy Unique living wage:
"I just implore you to really give this a lot of thought, Lisa Vanderpump said, “because I do believe if we raise the minimum wage now it's going to be counterproductive.”
KABC reports that West Hollywood explained in the ordinance that a raise to the minimum wage would "keep workers and their families out of poverty" and "enable workers to meet basic needs and avoid economic hardship." According to a study from MIT, the proposed minimum wage still falls short of the amount necessary to live in Los Angeles: $19.35 an hour.
“Life in Beverly Hills is a game,” Lisa Vanderpump once said, “and I make the rules.” But not this time, luckily. The ordinance will take effect on January 1 for hotel workers and July 1 for all other workers.