[lhorie]

> I assume they are increasing their hourly rate due to

Doesn't that maybe suggest that $18/hr is probably the current market rate then? My understanding of market rate is "amount at which the two parties are willing to negotiate", not "amount that the employer wants to lock in at, all other factors be damned"

If one can't afford to pay competitive wages, that may suggests they're not actually financially healthy enough to stay in business.