Texas minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. One well-known Texas-based business is getting some attention for its starting wages which are well north of that number. Buc-ee's is offering an attractive incentives package including higher wages and benefits.
Unemployment in Texas hovers just above 4 percent. Some careers, like construction are offering great pay because they're having a hard time finding enough workers.
At the convenience store chain Buc-ee's, a sign which hangs prominently in all its locations tells a similar story. It advertises starting pay as high as $18 an hour. Even the range of $13 to $15 for cashiers is much higher than the national average for those jobs.
There's paid time off, and access to a 401(k).
Buc-ee's declined comment on the salaries, but did tell our partners at The Dallas Morning News that good benefits are important to retaining employees.
Business management experts said what Buc-ee's is doing falls in line with what many North Texas employers are doing in a competitive market.
"Companies are trying their absolute best to hire people, but they also want to hire people they can keep," said Dr. Lew Taylor, chair of the Department of Management at UNT College of Business. "So to get a little higher standard, you're going to have to offer more."
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
What's good for businesses is also good for job seekers. By offering better pay and benefits, said Taylor, there are jobs more folks might consider.
"People are looking for something they can hold on to," he said. "Can I make a living doing this for a while? Well, if I'm a youngster, and I can get a decent job with a 401(k) thrown in and 15 bucks an hour starting pay, I'm going to try and get that."
Construction is well underway at Buc-ee’s newest North Texas location, in Denton, just off of I-35E. It's scheduled to open next year.
