Persuasive Essay On Minimum Wage

More than 43 million Americans currently live in poverty although they hold full time minimum wage jobs (“Should We Raise”). For many, the minimum wage job is no longer held by the high school teenager and has become the main source of income. Those living off of the current minimum wage are not able to meet their basic needs such as clothing, food, and shelter. Since its installation in 1968, the minimum wage has increased in proportion to the rate of inflation, but has failed to do so in recent years. Also, studies show that raising the minimum wage has had a positive effect on the economy’s growth and productivity. Therefore, increasing the minimum wage will lift tens of millions out of poverty, keep up with the rate of inflation, and improve economic growth and productivity.

“A 15 percent increase in the minimum wage nationwide would destroy about 290,000 to 590,000 young people's jobs, and about 400,000 to 800,000 jobs overall” (Henderson, David R). Due to the Fair labor Standards act, the federal minimum wage, or the lowest you can pay an employee for work, currently stands at $7.25 an hour. Although a number of Americans think that raising the minimum wage would benefit our country, it would actually bring a number of problems to our economy, such as a rise in job loss and high school dropout.

Before people push a minimum wage increase, they need to be totally aware of all of the positive and negative results and consequences that might occur as a result. The issue concerning what to do about the minimum wage has served as an ongoing controversy amongst several people. The federal minimum wage should not be raised for several reasons including the harmful effect on small businesses, the increase of poverty, and the augmentation of competition for jobs.

Although America is known as the richest country in the world, 43 million of its citizens are in poverty. Unfortunately, some of them work full time, yet are still in poverty due to the low minimum wage (“Should We Raise”). In 1928, the first federal minimum wage of 25 cents per hour was set by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to prevent workers from being underpaid. Since 2009, the federal minimum wage has been $7.25 (Smith). The age old debate of whether or not to raise it is still going on in the US. The federal minimum wage should be increased to keep up with inflation, help support the poor, and stimulate the economy.

I decided to write about how I felt regarding the federal government's involvement in controlling the minimum wage and that I felt they are disconnected in their understanding of the impacts on communities when they raise the minimum wage. I work for a manufacturing company in the U.S. and I understand wholeheartedly what the impact of salary increases due to our bottom line. In very competitive markets the difference between success and failure can be separated by the difference of only a few dollars per part, and while in other countries, their manufacturing bottom line is subsidized by their governments we are forced to generate profits the old-fashioned way through supply and demand. This is why I decided to take a stance in my persuasive essay and challenge the status quo of the Department of Labor and Wages. No longer should the federal government dictate a national minimum wage but should allow each state to establish their own minimum wage based on the economic condition of their counties and their state, as a whole.

America, the Land of Opportunity. Is it really, though? Our minimum wage is so low that people are struggling. The price of living is going up, and minimum wage is not. Raising the minimum wage will not only affect teenagers flipping burgers. Believe it or not, many American workers will benefit from raising the minimum wage. Thirty-five million workers, which is more than one in every four, are being paid minimum wage. Thirty percent of percent of black workers, thirty-eight percent of Latino workers, and fifteen and a half million working men all are being paid minimum wage. These people would all benefit vastly from raising the minimum wage. It is a myth that people who receive minimum wage are working teenagers in fast-food. Eighty-nine percent of minimum-wage workers are twenty years old or older. Twenty-seven percent of minimum-wage workers have children, and may have trouble supporting their children with such a low income. It is also a myth that

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

Humanity reaches unbelievable heights, discovers old civilizations, creates supersonic aircraft, launches every day new high tech gadgets, but fails to resist the challenge of the 21st century- the poverty. The U.S.A. has experienced crisis and prolonged period of economic instability which threatened first of all the economic security of individuals, families and whole communities. The minimum wage becomes a wealth inequality and economic segregation that endangers the ability to eat and remain healthy, have access to education and new opportunities. In these circumstances, replacing the minimum wage with a living wage will serve as a relief for the poor and will bring benefits to the local businesses and the economy as well.

One of the most acrimoniously debated problems in American society today is the debate over the minimum wage. The minimum wage, established in 1938 by President Roosevelt, was made to be a safety net for people who provided unskilled labor, but also needed to provide for themselves. Up until that point, people had no guarantee that they would be paid. The minimum wage was quite literally one of the only lines of defense unskilled workers had in harsh times, such as near the end of the Great Depression. In today’s society, the minimum wage is still a means by which unskilled workers can provide for themselves, but many people have lost track of what it originally meant. The minimum wage is no longer specifically meant for people in dire need, having to take the first job they find. People now perceive it to be something into which they can settle, even in today’s society, where opportunities for hard workers to be promoted are frequent and encouraged. Despite the chances people have to seek out promotions, most $15 minimum wage proponents believe that they are entitled to having the minimum wage increased because they believe it would put them at a “livable wage” and that businesses owe them higher pay because of the cash flows they generate. As a federally mandated expense to businesses, it is critical for people to consider the possible negative outcomes of trying to forcibly make businesses, whether large or small, pay an increased minimum wage as drastic as $15. Not only will it negatively affect the U.S. economy, but it will also put minimum wage workers at the same level of disadvantage, if not more.

The United States Congress every year discusses whether workers should see an increase in the federal minimum wage (“Minimum Wage in the United States”). The public businesses and private citizens still cannot come to an agreement for a secure minimum wage. I believe, as many progressive voters accept, that increasing the minimum wage, which is now $7.25, an hour, by several dollars, will not make a significant impact on our economy. It may even give the economy growth by allowing lower-income workers to spend more on necessities. However, businesses will continue to believe that this increase would put more people out of work. This contentious issue may be the only discussion that will never die out in the United State’s history.

Minimum wage is different across the United States and varies depending on the cost of living for that particular state. There are currently 5 southern states who have not adopted a state minimum wage. Those states are: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. Presently, there are 29 states have minimum wage rates above the federal minimum wage. I currently live in Germany but my home of record is Arizona. The minimum wage in Arizona is $8.05. Arizona is one of America’s fastest growing states. With a booming economy and a diverse population, Arizona’s cost of living is somewhat low compared to the rest of the United States.

The minimum wage serves as a mechanism to mitigate poverty and income inequality in our economic system. It is a powerful tool in our society, ensuring that working individuals are receiving a fair wage for their labor. This law plays a huge role in American business and seeks to ensure that our capitalist economy is not benefitting from under compensating the workforce. There is a great deal of debate surrounding this topic in the political arena today, with polarizing opinions on both sides of the issue. Currently there is a movement to raise the minimum wage to $15 dollars across the country. Supporters argue that it reduces poverty and inequality while raising the living standards of a significant portion of our society. Opponents on the other hand see the minimum wage as an attack on small businesses, increased unemployment, and overreach on the part of our government. It is important to realize that raising the minimum wage will result in more positive outcomes than negative but it must be done gradually. It would boost consumer

For people that want to live off a job that pays minimum wage than you'd love the very foolish law that california has been passed to raise minimum wage to 15 dollars by 2022. Which will cause inflation and “fast food restaurants will just become gateway jobs to start better professions” most workers will be replaced by machines. And for people that are on a salary they don't benefit from this because they have a set wages.

The signs are everywhere (no, really, the employers raising wages are screaming it from their rooftops) that the hourly wages of America’s lowest paid workers are on the rise, leading to many people wanting to know if this is real, or merely a smoke and mirror show. Experts can only speculate, so, don’t expect any definite answers anytime soon, however, the initial reaction is available now.

Minimum wage has always been a controversial topic. There are people who believe the growth of minimum wage promotes the growth of the economy and there are people who believe the growth of minimum wage does the complete opposite. The view of why minimum wage growth stunts the economy, businesses, and citizens is what will be discussed in this paper. Minimum wage should not be raised because companies on a fixed budget may have to lay off employees, companies may outsource labor, prices of products may increase to offset the increase in wages, and may increase the high school dropout rate.