It is not fair to pay teens less than adults. As Marilyn Watkins, the Policy Director at the Economic Opportunity Institute, puts it, “Why should a worker get paid less simply because he or she happens to be a teenager?” Teens will often use the money they earn from their job to help assist their families if times are tough, or they may use the money to help pay for college if their parents are unable to. Since 2006, the cost of college has increased dramatically, according to the College Board (Watkins 23). Also, if the wages for teens were lowered, companies would likely favor teens over other demographics of people, like seniors for example. “Employers might prefer to hire a rotating series of teens because it would be cheaper “(Watkins
Yes, I think it is fair teens get paid less than adults because there are lots of facts that explain how that is the better option. “You need experience to get hired, but unless you get hired, you can’t get experience” (Battles). This statement proves it is fair for teens to be paid less than adults because they don’t have the required skills yet. They have to start somewhere and that somewhere shouldn’t be the top. “Plus, your average teen doesn’t have the same kinds of skills that workers, say, in their 20s have” (Battles). That statement also supports that adults are more experienced and deserve to be paid more. The last point goes along with “studies have also found that students with part-time jobs are more likely to earn higher wages
Should teens earn less than adults for doing the same job? This topic has been very controversial and many have been paranoid of it because of the unemployment that is happening lately. “Is It Fair to Pay Teens Less Than Adults” by Bob Battles and Marilyn Watkins is about a debate that contains two opposing views of whether teens should be equally or not equally paid as an adult. Each viewpoint is thoroughly explained why their side is the stronger argument. I think that teens and adults equally should be paid. Teens should be equally paid as an adult because, many of them work to help their family, save for college, and help themselves to build work experience.
After reading the arguments in, “Is It Fair to Pay Teens Less Than Adults?” it is evident that teens should be paid the same as adults. To begin, the author states, “Teens often need jobs as much as any other worker.” Everyone needs money. Money is one of the main things people use to live in this day and age. Money buys the main necessities such as food, water, clothing, and shelter, so even if someone is just a teenager, they may need to save up for later in their life. Next, the article says, “The health of the U.S. economy depends heavily on consumer spending, and teens spend more than $250 billion a year.” If teenagers didn’t have money to spend, the economy would be greatly affected. Decreases in prices could lead to an unstable economy,
Yes it is fair to pay teens less than adults in the work field. Teens are in sports and many extra-curricular activities after school. Students have a very busy life and often times, in a rush. Teens need to learn the importance of showing up to work on time, be professional, and reliable (Bob pg. 22). Adults only work outside of their home duties, so they can put more focus into working. Adults have the time to work longer hours and get more educated in their job. Adults can work harder and are able to put up with more stress, due to their experience as a worker. Teens are still learning to be professional and fully mature. Since teens are less experienced, they are not allowed by federal law to do some things (Bob pg. 22). Employers
There is an unlawful cycle that goes with teens not being payed the same as 20 year olds or full adults working the same job. Manlyn Watkins, the policy director of the economic opportunity institution, informs readers that, “there’s a lot of inequality’s in the united states already.” She goes into details about how women in the US are still on an average paid less than men. Discrimination against teens is the last thing our country wants. The majority of teens now have the stress of paying the extreme cost of colleges one their own. Manlyn goes on to say, “according to the college board, average tuition and fees at a four year college and universities has increased by 40 present or nearly $3,000
Are you happy with the amount of pay teenagers are getting at their first job? Adults work for the same wage but have a family to provide for. In America, people think the minimum wage is too low for citizens because they think it is only adults that work to provide for families but do not think about the teens that do the same but only provide for themselves. Is raising minimum wage helping or hurting America?
Jamie, you made a good point on why minors under 21 should be responsible for their college fees. If people over 18 are trusted in the ability to vote they should be able to pay for their tuition. Individuals over 18 are old enough to make their own decisions and should know that those decisions come with a price or an effect. If an individual is over 18 and decides to go to college, they should know that it is going to cost money and should have a plan in order to be able to pay. Minors, over 18 but under 21, are able to take out student loans or look for financial assistance. Like you stated, students have to be willing to apply for financial aid or student loans and not expect others to just hand them money to pay for
We need to know who the minimum wage worker is to understand how the Federal minimum wage affects them. In 2015 workers that make at or below the federal minimum wage comprised 3.3% of the 78.2 million workers in the United States that were paid hourly rates. This was a decline from 3.9% in 2014 and is well below the high of 13.4% in 1979 when data was first recorded. 20% of hourly paid workers are under the age of 25. The age group of 16-25 comprises approximately half of those that are paid minimum wage in the United States. Only 11% of employed teenagers (ages 16-19) that work for an hourly wage earn the federal minimum wage compared to about 2% of workers who are 25 and older that work for an hourly wage (Bureau of Labor). The service occupation industry and predominantly the food service industry comprised 67% of those that earn the federal minimum wage in 2015 in the U.S. Bureau of Labor 2015 report.
Yes. There is no distinction made between adults and minors when it comes to payment of the minimum wage.
If the minimum age was raised getting and maintaining a job would difficult or just plain impossible for younger people. People are allowed to get a job at six-teen how would they get to and from a job if they cannot drive themselves. To do that another party would have to be involved and when the parents or guardian is already working it would be extremely difficult for them to do it and they are the best option in many cases. Or even if the job itself involved driving like a delivery service would be out of the question entirely. Most jobs to the younger teenage worker would be impossible. If the age requirement was raised the eight-teen then almost all worker would be less experienced than they would be starting work at six-teen.
What if a 16 year old was making $18,000 a year after taxes, working only 25 hours a week? Most likely you would expect that teenager to have a pretty prestigious job at such a young age. However that is not the case, if the minimum wage is raised to $15 an hour, a 16 year old could make $18,000 yearly working only 25 hours a week at McDonalds. Now for teenagers that have goals for college or a car, that would money to set aside for the future, however most 16 year olds do not have those goals in mind yet, so that extra money turns into wasted money. As of February 2016 the minimum wage ranges anywhere from $7.25-$10 across the United States. Florida’s rate is at $8.05 an hour, however some believe the minimum wage should be raised to $15 an hour in all states(Raise).” People working in minimum wage jobs may feel as if this $7 bump would be a great advantage to them, but there are possible negative results of doing this too. As a manager of a restaurant where employees start at minimum wage, I can only imagine the effects our company would feel. Raising the minimum wage is not the solution to helping people out of poverty , I feel it will only be enabling them to stay in the same position they are in and give less motivation for teens to further their generation. Increasing the minimum wage will harm businesses and will decrease the motivation to get a further education.
Looking out to society there is a nation of job competition. The american dream that any desired individual who wants a job will find one has passed. There’s no denying it. Today this stays only a dream. With innovation increasing exponentially in past decades due to technology there has been a lesser desire for employees; at the sacrifice of jobs for innovation, unemployment is on the rise just while minors enter the labor market seeking employment too. Reaching out for job opportunities there is a mistaken ideology that minors should be paid at minimum wage. Shown time and time again proposed legislature pushing towards hiring the minimum wage has caused detrimental externalities; destroying job opportunities for minors who are new to the
Do you think kids should get payed for doing chores. Chores are something you shouldn't have to be payed for. You shouldn't have to get payed to do something for your parents, or to help make sure the house is organized. If you always get payed, you will always expect to get an award for something that you are asked to do. Your parents pay for your after school activities, and you might not be able to do them if you get payed all of the time. You could also be clever and "you might decide that taking a week of chores is worth losing a week of allowance" according to Scope scholastic.Com.
Almost every teenager wants a job, yet many people are against it. I believe teenagers should have after-school jobs for a number of reasons. First, having a son or a daughter that works can financially help the parents. Also, the experience the teenager will acquire from after-school jobs will help him or her on future jobs. Finally, teenagers should have after-school jobs because it will keep them away from trouble. Parents should realize that as long as their son or daughter wants an after-school job and it does not affect his or her performance at school, they should let their child have one.