Ira Knight, who is an author of article “Let’s Make the Minimum Wage a Living Wage”, expresses an opinion that increasing the minimum wage would help all struggling workers and at the same time improve U.S economy. On the other side, Janice Steele in her article “Keep the Minimum Wage Where It Is” argues that raising the minimum wage would have bad effects on workers, consumers and small businesses. Ira Knight’s article seems to be the stronger of the two positions because her arguments are based on several recent studies, and last but not least, she had a personal experience with the minimum wage job.
Minimum Wage Checkpoint Raising the minimum wage federally is a big challenge for the United States to overcome. There are different perspectives across the people on whether the minimum wage is fair. A state reserves the power to adjust the minimum wage within the state. Raising the minimum wage in a
Beside the increase in cost to businesses and customers, other people can potentially be hurt by this policy. By increasing the wage, small businesses will suffer a higher cost that can lead to cutting jobs, stalling new hire or even shutting down. On the other hand, the economic plight of these minimum wage workers should also be considered. Therefore, the $15 plan would produce unpredictable consequences, while not doing anything would doom minimum wage workers to live in in poverty and to consume public resources.
The article that we are critiquing is aimed to assess the blow of increased minimum wage from $4.25 to $5.05 per hour in 1992 on the employees working in fast-food restaurants in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The author has shown two comparisons in this study. The first comparison is the employment growth rates at the fast food stores in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, before and after the minimum wage raise. The second comparison is the change in employment rate from fast food stores (in both states) that pay higher wages initially to the lower wage stores. Krueger Card concluded that there was no indication or signs that the minimum wage increase, decreased employment
Raising the minimum wage would establish 85,000 new jobs and would also increase amass household spending by $48 billion the following year (“Should the Federal”). There are no signals shown that a boost in the minimum wage would lower employment. Even though people argue that the authors found “Little or no evidence of negative association
Labor is an important service that must be available and balanced in an ever growing population. For example, there cannot be a larger number of residents than there is labor or else there will be a definite increase in poverty. In the United States, there is a set law of minimum wage, which has an effect on companies and how they manage their labor force. The increase of the minimum wages affects the overall distribution of hours available, therefore, hurting the amount of labor needed. Conversely, minimum wage also has a major effect on those who recetly entered the workforce. If the minimum wage rises, there will be an increase of the unemployment rate. Correspondley, as the unemployed suffer, the first to be affected will be incoming laborers who are looking for jobs and work experience which is essential for their future. However, the upside of increasing minimum wage is that for those employed who keep their jobs they will earn more income which may increase the
Introduction Research shows if minimum wage was to climb that it would hurt the least skilled and the least experienced people trying to seek a job the most. There are different of opinions people believe in about the positive and negative aspect of minimum wage. Supporters argue that such a boost will shrink poverty without plummeting jobs and that it will boost confidence, increase the normal living, and cut inequality and have businesses to be well-organized. Opponents that are not for minimum wage say it will increase poverty, unemployment and is not good toward businesses. The question about minimum wage and the effects it would cause if it was to rise, remains one of the most commonly studied topics.
Minimum Wage Hikes and Unemployment Many fast food workers and minimum wage employees have been protesting recently, in hopes of increasing the federal minimum wage. States such as Seattle, that have already increased the minimum wage to $15 per hour, and California, that has approved a bill that will change the minimum wage to $13 per hour in 2017, have already jumped on board with the movement. President Obama and many other protesters around the country who are fighting for the increase in the minimum wage believe that the raise will decrease poverty among Americans and provide a stable income to support a family, or serve as a livable wage (Lee). Instead of creating a positive impact on those in need, increasing the minimum wage will affect the lives of lower-income, lower-skilled workers in a negative way. According to conventional economic analysis, employment levels for lower-income workers in jobs such as fast food, or any job that pays minimum wage, have steadily decreased with the rises in the wage (“Effects of Raising”). While it will negatively affect the lower-income workers, the other half of Americans who work for higher wages and are not in poverty, will have increased incomes (“Effects of Raising”). Raising the wage will not produce the desired outcome and will consequently make the situation worse. Also, these types of jobs are not meant to be supporting families or be a livable wage. These jobs are stepping stones for teens and young adult workers to gain
In the article “ What a $ 15 Minimum Wage Would Mean for Your City” by Noam Scheiber. In the article he talks about if minimum wage is increased to $15 the wage floor can rise before it can be reduced employment and it should be hurts the economy. Recently
The minimum wage has been an important element on the United States labor system and has sparked debates between employers and workers to this day. The main argument against raising the minimum wage is that the harmful effects raising the minimum wage would create do not justify the small-scale benefits generated by the raise. Business owners and conservatives claim that raising the minimum wage will result in job loss, hurt low skilled workers, and may result in higher prices for consumers. In a 2012 paper published in the peer-reviewed Industrial and Labor Relations Review (ILRReview), economists Richard Burkhauser, Benjamin Hansen, and Joseph Sabia, state that while some low-skilled workers living in poverty do see their incomes rise when the minimum wage increases, many others lose their jobs or have their hours significantly cut. Their study concluded that New York’s 2004-2006 $1.60-per-hour minimum wage hike was associated with a 20.2 to 21.8 percent reduction in the employment of younger, less-educated individuals, with the largest effects for those ages 16-to-24. Conservatives believe that even though teenagers are
News stories abound with demands from workers, organizations, and lawmakers to increase the federal minimum wage. Headlines throughout the country highlight recent minimum wage policy changes in major cities such as Los Angeles and Seattle. Last month, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York announced an approved minimum wage increase to $15 an hour for all fast food workers in the state (McGeehan). Even the website for the White House has a separate page, “Raise the Wage,” advocating for Congress to increase the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour ("Raise the Wage"). The most commonly held beliefs supporting an increase in the federal minimum wage are the potential lifting of families above the poverty line and the reduced demand for governmental assistance promised by livable wages. Democratic legislators believe people who work hard in the United States should receive living wages that combat poverty. Emotions flare over the minimum wage debate due to its strong connection with poverty and governmental assistance. While the issue tugs at the heart, people must also consider the issue logically in order to avoid unforeseen consequences. Increasing the federal minimum wage will have negative effects on training opportunities, non-wage compensation, and labor competition.
“3.5 million hourly workers get paid minimum wage if the wage is increased to 15 dollars an hour that would add 78.9 billion dollars or .23 percent of the united states GDP(Patton). If the wage is increased it will cause people who are earning just over minimum wage to get a raise resulting in even more money. With more money the government can trade more and produce more. “Decently paid workers tend to do a better job”(Komlos). If workers get paid more than the people who are working at minimum wage will be more productive. If there is an increase in productivity then theU.S. can earn even more
According to Michelle Chen the increase in minimum wage to fifteen dollars would be beneficial allowing families to be able to purchase more food therefore allowing parents and their children to eat more. While Ed Rensi believes that the increase in minimum wage would cause businesses like McDonald's, whom he
This weeks article is about how New York City workers at fast food restaurants are protesting for an increase in minimum wage in the amount of $15 an hour. This movement began about four years ago and now the Gov. Cuomo recommended for the wage to increase. Cuomo appeared to
This policy will also require states to cut some of their taxes. By cutting the states it will allow living of the new minimum wage more plausible. In addition, the working poor should not have to pay taxes until they are able to make more than the minimum wage. Cutting taxes and raising the minimum will allow the working poor to have a better chance to save funds and support themselves/ their families. These individuals will have a greater chance entering into middle working class. Being able to survive and provide off the cost of minimum wage will also likely reduce the number of unemployment, homelessness, gang affiliations, prostitution / sex trafficking, anxiety and depression, and drug use / distribution. The effects of this policy will be measured every 6 months. 6 months should be enough time for businesses and workers to accommodate to the new adjustments. Business productivity will be examined along with the rate of unemployment. Several low wage workers will be selected at random and question about the impact that this policy has had on their