Hard Rock International digs deep to provide raises to 10,000 of its non-tipped employees, committing more than $100 million to the initiative that is expected to benefit more than one-half of its domestic workforce. The raises include an immediate increase in minimum starting salaries, a bump from of $18 to $21 per hour, as well as increased merit raises for some salaried workers. This could be a game-changer of sorts in Gary, where there should be multi-million-dollar payroll impact (even before the property opens a hotel, where most of the employees will be of the untipped variety). The raises, part of a $100 million commitment, are expected to impact 95 job classifications, including cooks, security workers, and cage cashiers at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana.
