The amusement park north of Coeur d’Alene is one of the region’s largest seasonal employers, hiring about 1,200 workers to staff the park from May through September.

Silverwood’s starting wage will be $8.75 per hour this summer, a 25-cent increase; jobs requiring more responsibility pay a higher wage, said Mark Robitaille, director of marketing and communications.

Washington’s new minimum wage of $11 an hour, which took effect Jan. 1, has influenced what Idaho employers are paying, Robitaille said. In addition, Kootenai Countys unemployment’s rate is less than 5 percent, increasing competition for workers/Becky Kramer, SR. More here.