Wage Gap Between The Middle Class And The Upper Class

One of the biggest negative effects of raising the minimum wage is that it would severely hurt small businesses. If the minimum wage were to be raised it would force the owners to pay their employees more money that they might not have. In order to pay the employees the newly raised minimum wage they are gonna have to raise the prices which will lead to the loss of consumers, and might eventually lead to the store going out of business. According to a Gallup poll done in 2013, 60 percent of small-business owners said that raising minimum wage will “hurt small business owners. James Richardson, MBA, Vice President of the fast food chain White Castle, said that the company would be forced to close

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.

Raising the minimum wage is a very important public policy issue. Raising the minimum wage is a responsible policy that is supported by research and demanded by the American public. Each day, minimum wage workers across the country struggle to make ends meet and provide a decent life for their kids (Scott & Perez, 2016). Raising the minimum wage is a controversial issue, many believe that raising the minimum wage would only provide low wage workers more money to spend. However, the benefits can be endless for low wage workers. If minimum wage is increased across the United States it would afford the people effected more opportunities for financial freedom. Increasing the minimum wage would raise the standard of living for low wage workers, allow families to be removed from poverty, allow for government welfare spending to be reduced and lastly additional income being spent would positively affect the economy.

A study by John Schmitt of the Center for Economic and Policy Research explores the other possible reasons a modest increase in the minimum wage may not significantly impact employment levels. According to his study instead of hiring less workers the labor markets can respond in

In ¨Raising Minimum Wage Increases Unemployment,” Christopher Jaarda, a writer for Gale and also an attorney with the John Hancock committee, claims that there is a correlation between minimum wage hikes and unemployment. Christopher states many different times where the government has raised the minimum wage and then, as a result, the unemployment has gone up substantially. In the chart, there is a clear correlation all these years that they have raised it. Out of 5 different times that they changed the minimum wage every time the unemployment way up with it except for 1996. It did go up, but not that much like the others. The most recent increase was in 2007. The unemployment before the raise was 4.6% and then after its unemployment peaked

Doug Hall, director of the Economic Analysis and Research Network and David Cooper, Economic Analyst at the Economic Policy Institute, expressed how the increase in minimum wage affects certain genders, families, education backgrounds, ages, and the economy (Hall & Cooper, 2014). It is said that the increase mainly affects women with a compromising percentage of 54.5 (Hall & Cooper, 2014). It affects at least 20 year olds and mostly white workers. The increase in minimum wage also affects workers with a college degree or higher more than those with a high school diploma. It also affects low to moderate-income families and those who work full time. Hall and Cooper believe that the rise in minimum wage will not cause job losses, but create jobs. They also believe that the workers will spend their extra earnings and those who make close to but higher than the minimum wage will, “receive boost in earnings due to “spillover” effect, giving them more to spend on necessities” (Hall & Cooper, 2014). They believe this will help with economic growth.

The United States has a history of changes to the minimum wage law. “Early in the administration of the FLSA (Fair labor Standards Act); it became apparent that application of the statutory minimum wage was likely to produce undesirable effects upon the economies of Puerto Rico and the Virgin islands .In 1949, the minimum wage was raised from 40 cents and hours to 75 cents an hour for all workers. A 1955 amendment increased the minimum wage to $1.00 an hour with no changes in coverage. The minimum wage increased to $2.00 an hour in 1974, and $2.10 in 1975, and $

One source from the Opposing Viewpoints Database called, “Raising Minimum Wage Increases Unemployment” argues against the minimum wage by suggesting it will decrease financial security and cause higher unemployment rates. The author provides unemployment statistics from the 1990s onward as evidence to argue against the minimum wage. The article says, “In 1990, Congress enacted another minimum wage increase.” “The month before the increase took effect, unemployment was 5.2%.” “With the increase, unemployment began to steadily increase and unemployment eventually peaked at 7.8%” (Jaarda). The article emphasizes to readers that increases in minimum wages and following increases in unemployment are not just coincidences by continuingly pointing at similar statistics throughout history.

The economists all stated the lose from the minimum wages increase out weight the winner. Also the economist stated that this type of thinking persuaded twenty-eight states to raise their minimum wage above the federal level between 2003 and 2007.

The raise to minimum has the potential to cut the employment by 500,000. ( Trugman, Jonathan M. ) Raising minimum wage reduces many employment opportunities and raises the prices. This gives employers and firms and incentive to use less labor. ( Dunkelberg, William. ) Hikes in minimum wage will cause employers to largely scale back on hiring. Instead steering towards automation and foreign outsourcing. ( Trumbull, Mark. ) If employers switch to automation and foreign outsourcing it will be difficult for lower skilled workers to find good jobs. ( Dunkelberg, William. ) Raising minimum wage has many negative outcomes for employers and

Many argue that raising the minimum wage makes hiring workers more expensive, eliminates jobs at the bottom, slows growth and ultimately raises unemployment. Economic studies show that raising the minimum wage to keep pace with inflation creates little additional harm, but what the president is

Professor of Economics and author Ravi Batra found that employment has increased almost every time the minimum wage has gone up (187). For example, in the year following the minimum wage increase in 1997, the last time there was such a raise, employment rose by 1.9 million people. In 47 years the minimum wage increased 17 times, 14 of which saw a rise in employment a year after the increase took place. Even in the short-term, an increased minimum wage will not create unemployment.

Proponents of raising the minimum wage claim that if the minimum wage was raised, then many economic and social problems would be alleviated. This contention is at odds both with economic principles and years of creditable research. The effect of raising or even having a minimum wage has been studied extensively and the majority of studies have proven that raising a minimum wage does not have the desired effect. Both micro and macroeconomic forces affect the results of raising the minimum wage. The secondary effects of raising the minimum wage are bad both for

Imagine standing over a scorching grill for hours, taking care of the elderly, both lifting and transporting heavy loads, basically doing back breaking work; only to be making less than $8 and hour. That is the reality for millions of people in the work force who are earning minimum wage. Whether or not minimum wage should be raised has been a question many people have been discussing for years and has become quite controversial. Those opposed to increased minimum wages would argue that a minimum wage salary is already sufficient enough, or in some cases even “too high”. In spite of the opposing sides, it is almost certain that a rise in minimum wage will either positively or negatively affect several aspects of the country. For one, an increase in minimum wage could result in an economic shift. Furthermore, the current poverty level within the country, with the help of a higher minimum wage, would either decrease or as a result. Thirdly, a change in poverty levels caused by a higher minimum wage would ultimately change the amount of government spending and those who receive it. Minimum wage being raised would definitely be impactful not only the people receiving those minimum waged salaries, but also the economy, their families, and even the government funding.

Opponents to minimum wage raise claim that the minimum wage costs jobs by pricing low-wage workers out of the labor market. However, when we review academic studies that examine the effects of minimum wage increases on