Minimum Wage : Working Full Time Jobs Essay

Several examples of data and statistics from studies elucidate the harmful effects on small businesses and in addition the compelling of companies to close as a result of the increase of minimum wage. According to a Gallup poll that took place in 2013, 60% of small business owners agreed that an increase in minimum wage would be harmful to their small businesses (Should the Federal). Small businesses do not have the money supply that chain corporations do. Naturally, if they had to pay their employees more, it would be harmful to them. Several Walmart stores have closed and Walmart stores that were yet to open have closed as a result of an increase in the minimum wage (Should the Federal). An increase in the minimum wage must even have harmful effects on larger businesses. They obviously employ several more people than a small business, so they have to pay each worker more resulting in a net loss of a lot of money from the chain. Additionally, in several work places, if the minimum wage were increased, the wages of those who hold higher positions would have to be increased. For example, if the amount of money that the minimum wage dishwasher or table busser in a restaurant increased, then the chef and manager would need to be paid accordingly. If the minimum wage were to increase, it would be detrimental to both small and large businesses.

The minimum wage is one of the most controversial issues on our country, which is United States has been facing last ten years. There have been never ending debates over this issue until the government, company, and others party stand together, and raise the minimum wage throughout the nations. There are communities that believe raise the minimum wage has negative impact of every sector of the country. Other communities have different beliefs over the issue, raising the minimum wage helps the poor people, and would help not hurt our economy.

And while these effects are more on the scale of large corporations, small businesses may yet also feel the effects of the minimum wage. With even fewer resources to rely on, a small business would have a harder time progressing and growing; a small business has only a small selection of workers who may be indispensable, so downsizing may be out of the picture, forcing them to cut back expenses, thus stunting their growth and leaving room for large corporations to take over the local industries. This, of course, presents another problem in today’s society concerning capitalism and a free market economy – when a small business grows weak financially; larger corporations have an opportunity to sweep in and seize hold of the local market for specific goods and services, drawing money out of that town and into the pockets of greedy companies. For example, a local burger joint or mom & pop store could be crippled by a turn of the economy, causing them to raise prices and cut back on expenses. However, the local McDonalds or Walmart would only be affected by a relatively smaller margin, spearheading these corporations into the

The main reason raising the minimum wage radically would kill the economy is the pressure it would place on small businesses. According to TheWashingtonPost.com article, Small Businesses are the backbone of the economy. They also cited that many studies from the U.S. Small Business Administration show small firms employ just

The current federal minimum wage is too low to allow people to earn a living wage and has failed to keep up with increases in inflation, productivity and economic growth in recent years. Wages have been fixed at $7.25 an hour since 2009, resulting in a 40 hour work week that allows one to earn only $15,000 a year, an amount that lies just barely above the poverty line (13). If the worker is responsible for children and works full-time to earn this amount, they drop below the poverty line. These low

Osborne v. Ohio, 495 U.S. 103 (1990), is a Supreme Court of the United States case in which the Court held that the First Amendment allows states to outlaw the mere possession, as distinct from the distribution, of child pornography. After Ohio police found photographs in petitioner Osborne's home, each of which depicted a nude male adolescent posed in sexually explicit position, he was convicted of violating a state statute prohibiting any person from possessing or viewing any material or performance showing a minor who is not his child or ward in a state of nudity unless the material or performance is presented for a

Most people have witnessed firsthand driving through a densely populated city and glancing out the window to see camps set up on the streets for people who cannot afford living quarters. These poor citizens are living like this because they either do not earn enough money annually to keep a home and use what they have on a source of food. Increasing federal wage to $10.25 would help these poor American citizens and the children in America as well.

The minimum wage in the United States has been an ongoing controversy for many years now. The first minimum wage was established in 1938 (Reich, 2015, P. 3). That minimum wage started out at .25 cents an hour; compared to today’s higher wage of a government standard of $7.25 an hour. Many people believe that the minimum wage should be more so that those who live below the poverty level in the United States will decrease, however in many other people’s opinions the minimum wage should be the same. The minimum wage should stay the same at a low $7.25.

Since the cost of living has drastically increased, it has become extremely difficult to raise a family while working a job that pays minimum wage. Sometimes, a person living by his or herself will not be able to survive solely on a minimum wage job either. The cost of living is just too much.

How come lets say in this state you get paid $3.00 and at a different state but same job you get paid 8.00$. It's not fair that people get paid more in different states for the same job.

The City of Los Angeles passed a living wage ordinance that resulted in headaches for many employers. It also provided the opportunity for a number of potential plaintiffs to consider taking their employers to court for failing to provide said living wage (including overtime pay) that is required according to the new living wage ordinance as well as California labor laws pertaining to overtime pay in the state.

Minimum wage requires paying every employee a specific wage regardless of the employee productivity. It is the responsibility of the government to set the minimum wage. To understand this, a biology analogy can be used: some animals are stronger compared to others. In economic perspective, some people are relatively unable to deliver compared to others. Among them include, disabled, unskilled, and the youth. Due to their low productivity, they are entitled lower wages corresponding to their efforts (Waldman, 2011).

While it may be easier to say that the reason workers cannot support their families is that they do not work enough hours, full time workers working for minimum wage can also not afford to survive efficiently in this economy. The Times Editorial Board from the La Times states, “A full-time minimum-wage worker with one dependent barely makes enough today to stay above the federal poverty line of $15,510 a year. But most minimum-wage workers don't have the luxury of full-time positions.” If the government does not ensure that enough full time work is available for workers who need those hours to support their family, they should at least ensure that the minimum wage be enough to compensate for that lack of work. However, this is not currently the case. Between the low minimum wage and an already low amount of hours available to workers, the results are fewer positions that will allow people to comfortably support their

50% or more Canadians fear slipping below the poverty line if they missed one or more pay cheques. In British Columbia, for example, with a minimum wage of 10.24 an hour, it is impossible to live off this alone. In fact, many poor people are employed, sometimes at 2 or 3 jobs, but still cannot afford to meet their basic needs: rent, childcare, food, bills, etc. Fordism shows us paying employees higher wages puts back into the economy and even the company, by allowing workers to use their money not only on basic necessities, but also on recreational activities which boost the economy and support their city and government. Minimum wage in BC should be raised so families with children can meet basic needs, people with minimal skills or education can support themselves, and students can pay their way

Today we live in a society that tells us what and when we can do it, with the complex of living in the United States which is supposed to be the land of the free. The cost of living now these days have put those who only make minimum wage in poverty stricken situations, which now they have no choice but to depend on the government to live. We either have to lower the cost of living so that people can live a somewhat sustainable life, or raise the minimum wage so that we can afford the cost of living that is provided to us.