As the stalemate continues between lawmakers over increasing the minimum wage, Governor Tom Wolf is taking executive action.

On Friday, Governor Wolf highlighted his new workforce agenda in Delaware County.

Under the plan, employers who receive any government loans or grants must pay workers a minimum wage of $13.50 an hour.

The state's current minimum wage of $7.25 has been in place, since 2009.

The legislation also requires companies to provide workers with paid sick leave.

“These three actions, making the work place safer, promoting higher minimum wage and guaranteeing paid leave are cornerstone changes we need to make Pennsylvania a better home for workers and for business,” said Gov. Wolf. “This plan is good for workers, but it’s also good for business. It’s good for all of us. It’s good for our economy.”

Manufacturer & Business Association Senior Director of Public Affairs Jezree Friend says many businesses have reached out to him to express concern.

“It seems like the governor is using the pandemic crisis as an opportunity to push his agenda,” said Friend. “By doing it through an executive order, he’s really sidestepping the legislative process, as the Pennsylvania constitution dictates, which in itself, is kind of him showing his hand why he thinks this is the right way to go.”

Friend describes Gov. Wolf's plan as disingenuous, doing little to address the worker shortage in Pennsylvania.

“At a time when the governor says this is going to help economic growth, people will get back to work if they are just paid a higher wage, his bluff has been called,” said Friend. “As has been well reported, many employers across the area have already increased wages, many above the $13.50 threshold and the fact of the matter is, people just aren't coming back to work."

In august, a record 4.3 million people in the U.S. voluntarily left their jobs.

Gov. Wolf says the legislation aims to make Pennsylvania a place where people actually want to work.

This story is supported by the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.