A report for the United States Congress has found job losses are on the cards in the Northern Marianas tourism industry as early as next year as a result of the rise in the minimum wage.
The report for the United States Government Accountability Office has found tourism employers plan to lay off or stop hiring workers, or cut their hours, as a result of the federally-mandated wage hike.
The investigative arm of Congress found 95 percent of workers in the tourism industry will be affected by 2016 when the minimum wage is supposed to reach $7.25 an hour.
The data's based on surveys, questionnaires and discussion groups held last year.
