Hobby Lobby to raise company’s minimum wage in October for full-time workers

OKLAHOMA CITY (Gray News) - Hobby Lobby has announced it will once again boost its minimum wage.

The company said Monday it will increase its minimum hourly wage to $17 for full-time workers.

Hobby Lobby previously established a $15 minimum wage in 2014, and the retailer said it has raised its minimum wage 10 times in 11 years. Part-time employees make a minimum of $11 per hour.

“Because this year has presented so many challenges to our employees, we are very happy that we are able to provide pay increases to thousands of our associates before the Christmas season,” Hobby Lobby founder and CEO David Green said.

After some resistance, Hobby Lobby temporarily closed its stores and furloughed employees in April amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The company reopened all of its stores by July.

Hobby Lobby claims the increased wages have helped the company attract and retain a strong workforce.

The retailer operates more than 900 stores and employs more than 43,000 people.