Sinclair Broadcasting has raised the minimum wage it pays its employees.
Starting Monday, the Maryland-based broadcast group began paying “applicable employees” a minimum of $15 an hour.
“At Sinclair, we recognize that we would be nothing without our hardworking and dedicated
employees,” said Chris Ripley, Sinclair’s President and CEO. “This is why we continually work to improve our practices, policies and benefits. With this latest change, we hope to make a meaningful impact on the professional and personal lives of so many valuable members of our team.”
In a press release, the company said:
Committed to being an ‘Employer of Choice,’ Sinclair has recently implemented additional employee-benefit actions that demonstrate Sinclair’s commitment to social responsibility, employee satisfaction and further cements the Company as a leader in the broadcast space, setting new benchmarks to advance and modernize the industry. Additional benefits include:
• Increasing the 401K Company match
• Reducing the waiting period for benefits to begin
• Improving paid time off benefits
• Maintaining and enhancing affordable health care
The Baltimore Business Journal reports the raise affects roughly 1,350 employees and comes after the Maryland General Assembly passed a law to raise the statewide minimum to $15 an hour by 2025.