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Increase In Minimum Wage

Satisfactory Essays

The minimum wage is a metric which dictates the minimum cost that low-wage labor has on a firm (Lopresti and Mumford 2016). Wages are a cost, but may conversely be understood as an incentive for employees. The minimum wage determines the quality of work which is supplied to employers. An increase in the minimum wage improves wage-growth for workers, increases the supply of workers, and creates a competitive environment which allocates jobs to the most qualified workers, thereby increasing efficiency and quality in the market. First, the minimum wage sets a common standard for how employers determine pay for low-wage workers. Lopresti and Mumford (2016) state that an increase in the minimum wage less than 5% has a negative impact on wages for low-income workers; a minimum wage increase greater than 20% showed significant improvement in the wage-growth of the same group. Setting a low wage-growth standard is harmful to the worker. However, a significant increase in the minimum wage would set a high wage-growth standard. A high wage-growth, for the employed worker, increases their income and financial stability. …show more content…

The minimum wage, by the nature of its pay, attracts workers with minimal experience and training. The cost of increasing the minimum wage may not appear beneficial. Ippolito (2003) argues that an increase in the minimum wage widens the pool of workers who apply for jobs. The larger supply includes higher skilled workers who are willing to work hard to retain or obtain a job. Kaufman (2010) states that an increase in the supply of workers brings the labor market to a competitive equilibrium and incentivizes firms to retain or hire employees who provide high quality work since the marginal cost to pay inefficient employees has

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