PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Employees at some Pennsylvania's ski resorts will get an extra financial boost next season.
Vail Resorts, which owns Roundtop, Liberty, Whitetail and Jack Frost/Big Boulder resorts in Pennsylvania, announced Monday that it will increase the minimum wage to $20 per hour at all of its 37 locations across the country. Maintenance workers and entry-level ski patrollers will receive a starting wage of $21 per hour.
Non-entry level team members will also receive a wage bump. The financial increases will go into effect in the 2022-23 ski and ride season.
Vail Resorts will also offer its employees an enhanced 40% discount at all company retail locations in addition to a free season pass, lodging discounts and free mental health resources. Corporate employees will be able to utilize a "flexible remote work" schedule.
"We know this is a sizable, unprecedented increase for our PA resorts," wrote Andy DeBrunner, the senior communications manager for Vail Resorts' Pennsylvania and Ohio locations, in a media release. "Our goal is to build an employment network with the intention of growing talent across our global portfolio."
Vail Resorts also announced "an unprecedented investment" into resort upgrades for next season. Jack Frost/Big Boulder resort in Carbon County is one of the company's 14 resorts to receive new ski lifts.
According to DeBrunner's release, "Jack Frost will receive three new fixed-grip 4-person chairs (one to replace the B & C lifts, another to replace the E & F lifts, and the third to replace the East 1&2 doubles) and Big Boulder will receive two fixed-grip 4-person chairs to replace the Merry Widow 1 & 1 doubles and the Edelweiss Triple."
In addition to the minimum wage boost and lift upgrades, Vail Resorts is investing $4 million in HR improvement and will expand its Leadership Development program.
