Jackson Kayak Increasing Employee Wages

White County’s Jackson Kayak is now one of the highest paying plastic production employers in the Upper Cumberland after increasing employee wages

Hourly pay rates have increased by $2 making the average starting pay $12 an hour. Human Resources Manager Jeff Leach said the raises were made possible due to a boom in sales.

“Our employees are our most important asset to this company,” Leach said. “We wanted to award them for their hard work. We are extremely bust here at Jackson Kayak. We are very proud to announce that and have experienced a very huge increase in demand.”

Leach said the company has also added a performance incentive program that can increase hourly wages to $16 an hour.

“After 90 days, you are eligible for a 50 cent raise,” Leach said. “At six months, you are eligible for a $1.25 raise. At 12 months, you are eligible for another dollar. Then it tops out at 18 months.”

Along with pay increases, the company has also added a new attendance program for small bonuses.

“We are putting in a perfect attendance policy,” Leach said. “All they have to do is show up on time for their scheduled shift. They do that for three months. They will get 50 extra dollars at the start of the next pay period. They can earn up to $200 a year.”

If you work for the second or third shift, you have the potential to make over $17 dollars an hour. Leach said the company is also trying to add benefits such as short term disability.

Jackson Kayak has hired 18 new employees in the last two weeks, bringing the manufacturer’s total number of employees to 112.