Category: Minimum Wage

Pros and Cons of Raising the Minimum Wage

Minimum wage is the compensation payable to laborers as fixed by law. Should the minimum wage be raised? I have mixed emotions regarding this topic. If minimum wage is raised, it would hurt most organizations, there would be fewer open positions. I think if the minimum wage were raised from $7.25 it would probably hurt public and private entities. Especially during the pandemic, most companies are not flourishing. Raising the wages would mean bigger paychecks and those small businesses may not be able to support their employees.

That is cash that most independent companies simply do not have or can payout. So, what might they need to do to make up for that deficiency of cash? They either need to lay off workers or raise costs and neither of the decisions will profit the economy. Secondly, if the minimum wage is raised it would create less work or make better jobs less accessible for laborer. The good thing is, if by chance that you have individuals working at McDonalds for $7.25, and minimum wage was raised, individuals who are heading off to college now have a job making a fair paycheck. At least if the employee is going to college, it would look good on their resume to receive more money.

Presently considering a high school senior who does not really like school, raising minimum wage may provoke students to drop out and go straight to the workforce. Especially if minimum wage is $15. There are better approaches to help poor people. Students need to remain in school and attend a university, and if minimum wage gets raised that is motivating them to do the total opposite, to exit school and start work.

Assuming it gets raised, it will harm independent companies, they will lose open positions. How is this aiding our economy? Think about individuals who will be upset from this. Certainly, there might be a couple of advantages yet there will be much more damages. We should consider everything before we settle on our choices. Though this might be encouraging, is it the better decision for the whole country?

Raising minimum wage will always be a debate when it comes to getting compensation, as most laborers will come to an understanding that, one can never be sufficiently paid. businesses may cause issues with that decision, asserting that they pay more to the less qualified than the more qualified. Arguments supporting raising minimum wage would be a decent impression on the grounds that the average cost for basic items will go up to the level where people are not bringing in sufficient cash to pay for their necessities any longer. Raising it would help the ones economy over the long haul by expanding purchaser consumption. afterward people would get more cash to where they are proficient to meet for their necessities and have cash to save. This would cause to an upsurge in customer consumption, and would be useful to organizations, at the same time, to the financial development in economies.

Raising the wage also delivers assistance to neediness and approaches to battle it (Dube, Arindrajit, William and Michael, 949). This suggest that a raise in minimum wage would help individuals considered ‘poor’ to move out of poverty. I agree with this idea, and I accept that it would help people who are in poverty. Lawmakers argue that raising minimum wage is awful for the economy since it raises pay. Raising the wage would contribute to government assistance structure and diminishing the quantity of people on government assistance (Osterman, 127). This is accomplished by making compensation high enough to move people to go to work, rather than remaining on government assistance. With more cash to spend and more people in the work market, this would upsurge the economy.

In conclusion, I do feel strongly about raising the minimum wage as it would help cover some of the costs of living. It would help tremendously, but it is not a fix-all remedy.

Reasons Why Minimum Wage Should Be Raised Essay

Proposal Essay

By definition, the minimum wage is the lowest wage permitted by law or by a special agreement. It was initially introduced with the purpose of stabilizing the post-depression economy and protecting workers in the labor force. In this day and age, the minimum wage is designed to create a minimum standard of living to protect the health and well-being of employees. Despite varying across states, the federally imposed minimum wage stands at a long-obsolete $7.25 an hour. This has raised an uproar among minimum wage earners who struggle to meet the demands of everyday life, considering the significant inflation the economy has experienced since the $7.25 basement was introduced. By challenging this law strenuously and rallying for its improvement, these workers have raised nationwide awareness of this issue and have sparked perhaps one of the most complex debates in society these days. Recently, their efforts have paid dividends, with various states such as New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey following in the footsteps of San Francisco in raising the minimum wage to a more appropriate $15 per hour.

However, despite the obvious benefits a minimum wage raise may have, some underlying drawbacks loom large. Lawmakers are attempting to address these issues in the process of drafting legislation to raise the minimum wage. The main argument against the raise is the fact that if labor markets are competitive, a minimum wage could cause unemployment because firms will demand less labor, and higher wages may encourage more workers to supply their labor. Another concern is that a raise can cause cost-push inflation. This is because firms face an increase in costs which are likely to be passed on to consumers. This is even more likely if wage differentials are maintained. Also, a minimum wage raise may encourage an increase in the number of people working on the black market so firms can avoid paying the legal minimum. All these problems among others are what lawmakers are trying to inform the public about. In this much-anticipated raise, there are significant disadvantages that should be addressed and perhaps a different, more wholesome way to tackle them should be introduced.

In my opinion, despite its immediate benefits, a simple minimum wage increase is not enough considering the increasing amount of concerns behind it. I believe that along with it there should be another legislation that will complement the minimum wage raise and perhaps tackle some of the inevitable impacts the raise will have on the economy, workforce and market. This would be to raise the Earned Income Tax Credit commonly referred to as EITC. This federal program benefits middle and low-income households. The credit equals a fixed percentage of earnings from the first dollar of earnings until it reaches its maximum. The maximum credit is paid until earnings reach a specified level, after which it declines with each additional dollar of income. Proponents of raising the Earned Income Tax Credit say that doing so would more effectively aid low-income families than raising the minimum wage. Some immediate benefits are that it is a policy that already exists, therefore it will require much less legislation work for it to be ready. Also, it is already doing a great job, the EITC lifted about 6.5 million people out of poverty, including about 3.3 million children in 2015. More than that, research shows that the EITC strengthens families, communities, and the country in a number of ways.

The benefits the EITC has for the workers are obvious. For a start, workers mainly use their tax credit to pay for necessities like groceries, transportation, medical expenses, rent, and utilities. The tax refund can also help workers build savings and establish financial stability. It can also provide a short-term safety net. Almost half of the taxpayers with children claimed the EITC at least once during an 18-year period, providing a source of temporary insurance and preventing entry into poverty. Also, research suggests the EITC improves health, with the most robust results for single mothers and children. Mothers experience health improvements through reduced stress. Among children, there is a decreased incidence of low birthweight and improvements in the home environment, nutrition, and educational and economic attainment. All these are several examples of how the EITC benefits workers.

For a policy to be effective, it should have significant positives for the employers. The way EITC is set up is to encourage and reward work. Therefore, employers will have a more productive and lively labor force. It also supports local jobs and businesses in several manners. To begin, EITC recipients are now able to spend more money thus creating more cash flow around them. With this increased spending, businesses in turn are able to grow and spend more in response, either delivering a better product, increasing their employees’ wages, or both. With a study from Columbia University indicating that the EITC is linked to increased life expectancy, this means that employers can expect healthier workers for a greater amount of active years in the workforce. With money moving around, a healthier workforce, and a happier society overall, employers should expect their businesses to thrive under the EITC legislation.

After satisfying both workers and employers, the raise in Earned Income Tax Credit does have a significant positive impact on the state. Firstly, it promotes further education in the way that it increases children’s educational performance and attainment. Children in families receiving the EITC score higher on tests and are likelier to graduate from high school, enroll in college, and earn more when they enter the workforce. In turn, it increases workforce participation and encourages low-wage workers to get additional education or training to boost their employability and earning power. The need for additional education by both children and workers increases the income of public state schools or universities. The fact that these people can now attain degrees aids the state significantly as both the intellectual and economic aspects of the society receive a boost.

There is, however, one objection that is commonly made since the EITC is a subsidy from taxpayers. However, since it is the public as voters insisting that incomes must be higher then it should be the public as taxpayers paying that higher bill. It is very easy to shout that everyone should be getting a living wage, especially if we then say that someone else has to be paying that living wage. It should be considered a rather more moral option that we sacrifice economically for the changes we push and believe in for our fellow members of society.

All in all, the debate on minimum wage will continue to hold the utmost importance in today’s society. There are several arguments to be made for either side, and it becomes a multi-faceted discussion if you mix in all the alternative solutions that exist. In my opinion, the advantages of raising the minimum wage slightly outweigh the disadvantages, but the already existing policy of the Earned Income Tax Credit trumps the rest of its alternatives. With its obvious benefits to all aspects of the economy, it is a safer and perhaps smarter approach to dealing with poverty. The benefits it provides to workers cover several areas including welfare, education, and health. Employers can expect a more productive and more skilled workforce, while the state can stand to benefit from the increased flow of the economy in places such as public schools. There is no doubt that something needs to be done. By postponing or not supporting policies such as these and being conservative, people fall into the trap of politicians where words are being exchanged at a great rate but no action is taken. For this reason, I believe the EITC policy has shown enough evidence and shows significant potential through respected research that it should be adopted immediately by any state that aims to reap the benefits of a reenergized, healthier and happier society.

Sources:

1. http://www.taxcreditsforworkersandfamilies.org/news/eitc-linked-increases-life-expectancy-among-low-income-americans/
2. https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/01/eitc-getting-people-to-work/549416/
3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2016/07/07/dont-raise-the-minimum-wage-and-kill-jobs-increase-the-eitc-instead/#5c5d48d660df
4. https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hpb20180817.769687/full/
5. https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/careers/ct-biz-0317-work-advice-huppke-20140317-column.html
6. https://www.vox.com/2019/5/8/18528098/national-federal-minimum-wage-fight-for-15

Persuasive Essay on Why Minimum Wage Should Be Raised

Everyone believes that America is the place where all your misery and issues disappear, however in America there a more people in poverty than rich people. We often describe New York as a place where many wealthy people live, due to the fact of expensive rent prices, big corporations, and outstanding education. Due to this stereotypical stereotype, people that live in poverty are often looked down upon or not even cared about. Society often talks about the wealthy but never talks about the poor because our society only cares about money since New York is known for having the best lawyers, and accountants and is the most expensive place to live. Although New York is expensive we do not often talk about the working class. Minimum wage is a big issue across America that has not been spoken much about due to society always focusing on the wealthy and not the working class. How are New Yorkers in a position to overcome poverty even with a raised minimum wage?

The Newsletter Eater New York published a report on “Restaurateurs Are Scrambling to Cut Service and Raise Prices After Minimum Wage Hike” (Some companies are looking to nix more than half a million dollars from costs in order to budget) by M.Tara Crowl the author describes how raising the minimum wage was not a successful idea. According to Crowl “Now, across the city, restaurant owners and operators are reworking their budgets and operations to come up with those extra funds. Some restaurants, like Rosa Mexicano, are changing schedules. Other restaurateurs are cutting hours and staffers, raising menu prices, and otherwise nixing costs wherever they can.” According to the author’s perspective raising the minimum wage was not a good idea because restaurants needed to find better ways to make a profit. For companies and restaurants to overcome this issue they had to inflate prices, fire employees, and limit the number of hours an employee could work, in order to gain back the interest, they lost. According to Crowl “The bottom line is, we have to reduce the number of hours we spend,” says Westcott. “And unfortunately, that means that, in many cases, employees are earning less even though they’re making more.” This quote mentions that although minimum wage has increased it did not actually quite benefit the working class because by inflate the amount a person earns results in restaurants and companies losing profit, and in order to gain that interest back they have to cut back the number of hours an employee can work. Although 15 dollars an hour may seem like a good idea it’s hurting the consumer, because having fewer hours at work means your earning less money. “Restaurateurs Are Scrambling to Cut Service and Raise Prices After Minimum Wage Hike” is a newsletter that can be used for research questions on How are New Yorkers in a position to overcome poverty even with a raised minimum wage. This newsletter displays how before the minimum wage price increase employees were able to work long hours and enjoy their job after raising the minimum wage employees often got fewer hours of work and did not quite enjoy their job. Increasing the amount, a person earns affected the work environment dramatically because according to the article it states “Every afternoon at 4 p.m., each of Rosa Mexicano’s four Manhattan locations used to have a pre-shift staff meeting. That meeting created a really nice family atmosphere,” says Chris Westcott, Rosa Mexicano’s president, and CEO. It created energy and synergy, and people were pumped going into the shift.” But as of last month, the meeting doesn’t happen anymore. Now, start times for shifts are staggered through the evening, and employees receive a document with the day’s updates when they arrive” This quote demonstrates that raising the minimum wage it destroyed the restaurant’s bond with its workers. From the restaurant’s perspective, they use to have a great bond with their workers and were like a family after an increase in raise the bond disappeared because corporations needed better ways of earning profit back.

The New York Times published a newsletter called “A $15 Minimum Wage Seemed Impossible. Now It’s Reality for a Million New Yorkers.” by Patrick McGeehan the authors describe that the biggest issue about raising the minimum wage is that everything in our economy will increase. By this, he means that food, clothes, supplies, etc. For corporations to overcome this issue of the extra money they need to spend to pay their workers, the consumer must pay extra for the product or service they want, to balance the profit the company lost. According to McGeehan increasing the amount a person earned was very beneficial to Rosa Rivera because in the newsletter it states “When I get my first check with $15, I’m going to be so happy”. said Ms. Rivera, an immigrant from El Salvador with three children. She said she was proud to pay her rent and help support her grandchildren without federal benefits”. This excerpt is explaining how raising the minimum wage helped Ms. Rivera because now she was able to pay her own rent and support her grandchildren before that she just earned $5.15 an hour and relied on government assistance to pay her rent when she started working at a McDonald’s in Manhattan 18 years ago. By raising the minimum wage helped Ms. Rivera overcome poverty because now she no longer needed government assistance to help pay her rent.

In the scholarly source “ Minimum Wage and poverty” by Addison T. John and Blackburn L. McKinley the authors explain how raising the minimum wage will help the economy, however by increasing the minimum wage lead to a reduction of employees having jobs and working fewer hours when they use to do when the wage was lower. The scholarly source explains how increasing the minimum wage can be beneficial to some but not all because it depends on the family income and who will be able to keep their job after the policy comes into effect. According to Addison and Blackburn “ They regressed the change in a state’s poverty rate from 1989 to 1991 on the fraction of the state’s labor force (in 1989) that should have been affected by the federal minimum wage increases in 1990 and 1991, that is, the fraction in 1989 below the level of the 1991 minimum wage (396)”. This quote is explaining how not much is known about poverty because not much information is conducted on the poor, The quote also explains how if more workers are getting fired from their jobs and are unable to support their family can result in a higher increase of people living in poverty “ Minimum Wage and poverty” is a scholarly source that is connected to my research question on How are New Yorkers in a position to overcome poverty even with a raised minimum wage. This scholarly source displays how raising the minimum wage may seem like a good idea however the outcome was very brutal as well. It resulted in workers getting paid more however they were unable to work if they did before because the company needed to find ways to cut back costs in order to gain the profit back.

In the scholarly source “How Effective Is the Minimum Wage at Supporting the Poor? by Macurdy Thomas the author describes how the main purpose of raising the minimum wage will increase the incomes of poor families, and second, the minimum wage imposes little or no public or social costs. This is connected to poverty because by raising the minimum there should be fewer people in poverty however that is not the case, due to unaffordable housing many people are forced into living on the streets or living in poor communities due to not being able to earn a lot at work or is currently unemployed. According to Macurdy “Policies that raise the wages of these workers to increase their earnings and contribute to their escaping poverty. As a counterbalance to this impact, opponents of the minimum wage argue that wage regulation causes some low-wage workers to lose their jobs and they will suffer income drops. The issue, then, becomes a trade-off: some low-income breadwinners will gain, and others will lose. Promoters of the minimum wage retort that employment losses are quite small, and consequently, the workers who gain far exceed those who lose (498)”. This quote is explaining how the purpose of raising the minimum wage was to help the people in the lower class however that did not go quite as planned some workers resulted in being unemployed and others resulted in working lesser shifts. Although it may seem like a good idea it’s hurting the employee more because having higher pay means fewer hours to work and by having fewer hours at work means less money. Having a lower minimum wage means that the worker can work longer hours and earn more money and still have a job. “How Effective Is the Minimum Wage at Supporting the Poor” is a scholarly source that is connected to my research question How are New Yorkers in a position to overcome poverty even with a raised minimum wage? This scholarly source displays how people on the minimum wage are often teenagers, single parents, or people that are unable to find a stable job because no one will hire them because corporations are trying to make a profit thus, they must live in poverty.

The scholarly source “The Minimum Wage and the Poor: The End of a Relationship” by Burkhauser V. Richard and Finegan T. Aldrich describes how the main purpose of raising the minimum wage was to help people in poverty however most low-wage workers are currently living above the poverty line. Meaning although the minimum wage has increased only 11 percent of the population living in poverty will benefit. According to Aldrich and Richard “But about one-half of the rise in the fraction of low-wage workers with household incomes at least three times the poverty line is due to this general rise in real living standards (Pg. 60)”. This quote explains although with a raised minimum wage some workers are still forced to live in poverty due to high rent prices and their standard of living. From the author’s perspective “families. Today, whether a family headed by a low-wage worker falls above or below the poverty line depends much less on how much he or she earns per hour than on how many hours are worked, how large the family must be supported, and, most importantly, how much other family members (pg. 60)”. This quote is explaining how there are most factors needed in order to for a person in poverty to understand. If a person had a job but was not able to work the number of hours needed to support their family or themselves is also a big issue. Another major factor that can lead to poverty is the number of people you are trying to support, the bigger the family the harder it will be to overcome poverty. This scholarly source is connected to my research question because it demonstrates how even with a raised minimum wage there will still be some families living in poverty because it depends on certain factors such as the number of hours a person works, the number of people in a family and if that person is able to keep their job.

Poverty is a major issue throughout America even with a raised minimum wage. Although a person earns more than before there are still major factors that prevent that person from living peacefully such as high rent, expensive clothes, and food, and the number of hours a person can work at their job, or it can also be due to unemployment.

Reflections on the Minimum Wage and Its Increase

Minimum wages are meant to help workers and prevent business from exploiting employees. One thing I learned from minimum wage is raising minimum wage can do a lot more than putting money in the back pocket of hard workers it can help workers in many ways such as paying bills in time and other stuff from minimum wage rising can change the life of many people’s life.

There are many types of minimum wage laws that set forth the lowest hourly wage an employer may get paid or how the employee performs work gets paid.

Although minimum wage laws are fairly comprehensive in many coverages must provide exemptions. From Looking at many articles and looking at how society really is we learned that about a bill increasing the current minimum wage is greatly needed, and our government officials should demand a raise due to the increase in the cost of living as if it isn’t any longer realistic. One thing we learned is we need higher paying wages for all, middle- and lower-class income levels. Without some sort of help and support from our government, the economy will only get worse for many middle- and lower-class people. Students without getting the money they need for the minimum income they will not be able to afford the cost of school and living. Not only students won’t be able to afford things, but also single-family households will not be able to support themselves. Some argue that if an increase in minimum wage is passed businesses will raise the prices of goods and services to help compensate the cost of pay raises. Well, the cost of goods and services is already on an increase due to the high cost of many things such as gas-oil, and yet we are still getting paid the same price as we see in this society.

One thing we learned in this world is that many people are having to cut spending in other areas so that they can pay bills, and feed their families, which in turn is hurting the economy because people do not have the extra money to buy extra things like they need to enjoy themselves like, going out to the movies, or going out to eat at Chili’s. But because of minimum wage, many people are opting to stay home, watch cable and cook from home. If a minimum wage was an increased the economy will improve, people will have more money to spend, and the morale among low-income workers will improve. More people will seek jobs, which will help the unemployment percent decrease. People also argue that the minimum wage jobs are for teenagers, so that they can earn money to help cover the cost of school, and if a minimum wage is not for school, then who is minimum wage really for if it’s not for students. With the increase of minimum wage is can help many people, but many companies would also not higher more people because of the minimum wage increasing they will lose a lot of money on how many people they higher.

So, what do I think about minimum wage? I feel like it should just stay the same because if it stays the same not a lot of people would be jobless and a lot of people will still have a job and will be getting paid the same amount of money that’s not low or high but just in the middle.

Essay on Minimum Wage

Wages, typically known as salary, play a great role of significance in the lives of employees employers, and economies around the globe. Within different economies, it can be easily seen that even the workers who get the lowest salary have a fixed salary that cannot be reduced than that this can be simplified in two words- minimum wage. The concept of minimum wage is quite simple as it describes the lowest wage any company or employer can give to any type of employee. The USA follows a national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. It was $0.25 per hour when started by FLSA in the year 1938 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Apart from USA united kingdom started the minimum wage low in 1909 Davis-Bacon act in the united states became an issue as it basically stood for discrimination between white and black workers moving further minimum wage has certain pros and cons it leads to better employee satisfaction moreover it may help in the reduction of poverty, on the other hand, it can cause job loss to many employees in this way minimum wage impacts employment as well as inflation let us go through its impact on employment and inflation respectively.

The minimum wage is one of the leading factors that affect employment through different aspects. These effects can be either negative or positive and normal or abnormal. However, they somehow affect the economies and lives of those related to them. To cite an example, had national legislation for minimum wages in 1999. The main purpose was to increase the minimum wages for all types of workers. Many studies found that the best thing was that everything was almost positive. Almost every worker in the labor market was happy with the legislation as it provided them with a better standard of living. This is because the act provided workers with equal wages. So, the belief in inequality started disappearing. The workers, especially the low-income workers, saw themselves living with better social facilities. Even though the majority of workers were happy, part-time workers faced certain negative effects and lost their jobs. Another major topic in this series is regarding formal and informal sector workers. The formal sector refers to the major sector that stands for the rest of the works. When the minimum wage is increased for the formal sector, it can lead to a major reduction in poverty. This can especially help low-income homes where only one person earns for the whole family. This would give the whole family a better standard and facilities for their lives. This all can be done by increasing the rate of minimum wages. Moving to the next side of the coin, if the act of increasing the minimum wage fails to cover each and every part for implementation, it can lead to failure and may have a negative effect. In Addition to this, with higher minimum wages, employers may try to reduce the strength of workers leading to a great rate of loss of jobs.

Furthermore, another thing we have to discuss with regard to minimum wages which is inflation. The first thing to note is that with raised minimum wages, the prices of goods, as well as services, would also get raised eventually. In addition to prices, there is a great difference between the effects of large raises in the minimum wages and small or minor raises in the minimum wages. Large raise basically results in an increase in the rate of inflation. Whereas, small raise may even reduce inflation on a small scale, as per some studies. There is a report prepared by researchers MacDonald and Nilsson which states that the food prices in restaurants from the year 1978 to 2015 had very little raise in their prices. The rise was just 0.36% and that for every 10% increase in the minimum wages of the employees. In the USA, the time around the 1940s to 1960s saw a period where the minimum wages increased as well as the productivity in the economy and the rate of inflation as well. In 1968, minimum wages stopped increasing though. So, the purchasing power of the minimum wage has kept declining since 1968. In 2009, it was $8.70 which is 17% less than that in 1968. Moreover, today it is 31% less than in 1968 with its rate at $7.25. It was $10.54 in 1968. There is another report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) which basically states that if we go with the minimum wage at $15 per hour, there is an estimation of around 1.4 million loss of jobs by the year 2025. This report was criticized by Mr. Arindrajit Dube from Massachusetts University. He stated that CBO has taken the number of job losses to a great extent. The rate of job loss would be just 5 lakhs or less than that. This has been supported by Dr. Daniel Kuehn, who is a researcher at The Urban Institute. As per him, minimum wages, if raised, may affect prices but that would be like nothing. Therefore, there are always debates regarding that. Does this also raise a major question would only raising the minimum wage to increase help workers survive in inflation? Simply because if minimum wages increase with inflation side by side, money would grow with the same purchasing power. On the other hand, if it grows with productivity in developing economies, the workers surviving on minimum wages have a chance to get better over time.

To conclude, minimum wages are closely associated with employment and inflation too. There are certain facts, theories, studies, and figures to make clear our minds regarding the rate of minimum wages in different countries and economies. There are a few pros and cons with regard to that. In the last, it makes us think broadly and makes me reach the fact that if thing is within the limit, it is all good. At the perfect rate, we can make out much more benefits and fewer disadvantages from minimum wages, and that too with keeping employment and inflation level in mind.

Argumentative Essay about the Minimum Wage

The United States has varied opinions on the question of the minimum wage at both federal and state levels. Legislatures and workers are all keen on the decade-long quest to have wages raised. Significant amounts of workers prefer wages as high as $15 per hour (twice the wage floor of $7.5 per hour). Such a wage floor help regulate the labor market, giving workers and employers a fairground for operation. Without a minimum wage, employers may take advantage of employees, leading to high rates of unemployment and a high labor surplus. A deviation in the minimum wage affects American households and firms at such microeconomic levels as disposable income and employment decisions.

Minimum wages affect the business’s ability to negotiate wages for its employees. When the government through the influence of labor unions solicits for minimum wage increases, businesses are at a loss over the wages to pay their employees. They are forced to increase the minimum wage to a new price floor, thus increasing the expenses of the business. Employers or business owners, therefore, have to choose between letting go of some workers or paying all the workers at the new rate and facing the risk of a loss. Employers, therefore, have a say in the setting of the minimum wage by ensuring that the new wages set do not lower their economic profits. Since most of the businesses in the United States operate in free markets, they are price takers, and therefore labor wages are a great way of manipulating their profits. It is through such variable costs as labor that they can increase the profit of the business. Businesses that employ unskilled labor, given a minimum wage law, experience diminishing profits and increasing expenses that challenge their economic growth. A sensible move for such an employer is to employ skilled labor that maximizes the quality of output and increases the sales revenue of the business.

The minimum wage has been a contested topic across the United States, given the one-size-fits-all mandate of the $7.5 per hour minimum wage. The different states within the United States have varying costs of living that need to be considered when setting the minimum wage. Urban and coast-bound states tend to have high costs of living as opposed to the Midwestern states. Increasing the minimum wage within such states, therefore, gives the locals more disposable income to sustain the high costs of living within these regions. For example, the cost of living in Iowa and New York. New Yorkers are bound to spend more on food, rent, and healthcare as opposed to Iowans. The United States, therefore, needs an increase in the minimum wage with consideration of the cost of living within each state. A common minimum wage floor for all states may put more money into the pockets of one household while burdening another household under a similar firm. The wages should, therefore, vary depending on the state across the industries.

The minimum wage should be high enough to allow workers to support their families. Some individuals earning minimum wages sometimes have to resort to food stamps as they lack the extra cash for eating out or for huge emergencies. A stretched wage is essential to allow workers to afford a quality lifestyle, save, and even invest. An increased investment plan increases the discretionary income of the firms and households.

Summing up, increasing the minimum wage benefits the majority of low-income workers in both the short and long term. In the short term, they have an increased disposable income, while in the long run, they have more than enough to pay taxes, meet their needs, and have enough to save.

Minimum Wage in Texas: Educational Essay

Poverty is defined as the state of being poor. However, poverty is also defined in relative and absolute terms. Relative poverty is poverty about the economic status or well-being of others; you’re poor if you live under standards that aren’t in the context of how society views a ‘rich’ person. Absolute poverty is the failure to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter based off of money needs. [endnoteRef:1] Poverty is an outcome of the Racial Wealth Gap. The Racial Wealth Gap has plagued Americans for decades. The beginning of this gap began as early as the 1900s and still appears in our communities today. The gap is defined by the median wealth of a white family versus a black family, net worth. The family’s net worth is determined by adding total assets (cash, retirement accounts, home, etc.) and subtracting liabilities (credit card debt, student loans, mortgage, etc.).[endnoteRef:2] Sadly, with poverty, there come many more negative outcomes. Living in poverty increases poor health, higher crime rates, and a decrease in education. That’s poverty all over the world. [1: https://www.habitat.org/stories/what-is-poverty dtd 26 MAY 2019 Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization that builds and improves homes for families to call theirs. For communities to be strong and stable, families must be able to afford to live. This website provides readers with stories, donation links, about me, and so forth.] [2: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianthompson1/2018/02/18/the-racial-wealth-gap-addressing-americas-most-pressing-epidemic/#4d4d7d6d7a48 dtd 21 MAY 2019 An article submitted that explains why races differ in terms of wealth. I learned what wealth truly means and not the societal definition.]

In the state of Texas, starting in the year 2017, a Hispanic or black child is three times more likely than a white child to live in poverty. The U.S. Census Bureau put the poverty rate down at 14.7% which is lower than the 2011 percentage of 18.5%. Also, 1 in 5 (20.9%) Texas children lived in poverty which took a decline in 2011 when 27% of Texas children were poor. Metro areas in South Texas and predominately Hispanic communities have been ranked the poorest areas within the state of Texas and the highest areas of child poverty. In the year 2017, the Texas median household income sparked up 5%, or $59,206. Texas falls behind 22 other states with them having higher median incomes. Women in 2017 had to work a full-time job, year-round just to be paid 81.4% of what a man would be making on his job.[endnoteRef:3] In 2018, Texas’s population was 27,676,343 and of that population, 4,076,905 are living in poverty. 14.7% of people had incomes below the poverty line in 2017 and 20.7% of children under age 18 lived in families with incomes below the poverty line in 2017. 20.7% Latino, 9.0% African American 17.9% Native American, 13.9% White, and 9.8% Asian Americans living in poverty. [endnoteRef:4] In Texas, the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, which barely provides for one person, let alone an entire family. Between the years 2016 and 2017, the average total of workers in Texas who were earning at or below the federal minimum wage declined from 3.9% to 3.1%. The percentage of workers earning exactly the federal minimum wage decreased to 1.2% from 1.6%. Lastly, the percentage earning less than minimum wage decreased to 1.9%. Of the working class in Texas earning at or less than minimum wage, 56.5% were women and 43.4% were male. [endnoteRef:5] [3: https://www.texastribune.org/2018/09/13/texas-poverty-census-2017-lowest-levels-decade/ dtd 21 MAY 2019 A Texas article which provides statistics of poverty. Although 2017 has been proven to be a year of improvement for Texas, poverty was still a down factor. This site provides charts from the U.S. Census Bureau to provide a visual to represent poverty in numbers. ] [4: https://talkpoverty.org/state-year-report/texas-2018-report/ dtd 21MAY2019 Great website for statistics. This site provided me with a population of Texas in the year 2018. Also, this website provides me with percentages for different categories and rankings between states. ] [5: https://www.bls.gov/regions/southwest/news-release/minimumwageworkers_texas.htm dtd 26 MAY 2019 Bureau of Labor Statistics talks about minimum wage in Texas and percentage change of people making at or below minimum wage. Also, this page provides charts to back the information provided.]

Many low-income individuals and families live in public housing and receive SNAP benefits, Medicaid Health Benefits, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Welfare, and many other government assistance programs.[endnoteRef:6] However, some individuals aren’t eligible for these programs. Everyone has heard of food banks and food pantries which provide meals to families. Also, there’s the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development which gives federal aid to housing agencies within states. These housing agencies provide housing to low-income families at affordable prices.[endnoteRef:7] These homes come with child protection, cleaning, and property maintenance regulated by the government and security precautions. I plan on starting a program that provides housing and meal packages for families. The housing portion of my project would persist in an apartment-like complex or duplex homes. Families will be able to experience the full feeling of having all the amenities that a regular home would have. The food portion would consist of a delivery system. At the beginning of every month, each family will receive a package based on the number of members in the family. The family food package will consist of a variety of dinner foods, drinks, snacks, and condiments. This will allow the adults to get themselves back on their own feet and eventually be able to provide for their families in ways they wish they could. [6: https://www.usa.gov/benefits dtd 26 MAY 2019 USA.Gov provides information on government benefits available to the people. On this website, you’ll find different food, healthcare, housing, and financial assistance benefits that you’re eligible to apply for. Lastly, there is a link to find out the requirements for each program. This is great for people who need assistance. ] [7: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph dtd 21 MAY 2019 HUG.GOV explains what public housing is. Also, it breaks down the different sections available to an individual.]

To make this project a reality I would like to partner up with Feeding Texas and Volunteers of America as my private sector. I would like to partner up with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs as my public sector. For starters, I intend for each of my partners to fulfill things of the nature that pertain to their organization. I intend to Feeding Texas to help families build a foundation to move toward food security. Within the last year, Feeding Texas fed roughly 500 million pounds of food to families of local communities.[endnoteRef:8] Next, I’d like for Volunteers of America to help me provide housing. Housing will be provided in all areas, which will allow residents to find jobs. Volunteers of America has committed to providing more than 40 housing communities all over the state of Texas and Albuquerque, NM.[endnoteRef:9] Lastly, TDHCA because it is the state agency responsible for affordable housing. TDHCA delivers $2 billion through profit organizations, non-profit organizations, and local government partnerships to provide housing, opportunities, and assistance. [endnoteRef:10] These partners would make the ultimate dream team to defeat poverty. The goal of my organization would be to slowly, but surely rid cities of poverty over time. The main focus would be to continue being consistent with the homes. Once the organization is off to a great start, my volunteers along with myself will continue to keep the housing up to par and accept critiques to better our organization. [8: https://www.feedingtexas.org/work/ dtd 26 MAY 2019 Feeding Texas is a non-profit food bank that provides food all over Texas. Their website provides ways to get involved, about them, latest works, teaching about hunger, and a way to donate.] [9: https://www.voatx.org/affordable-housing dtd 26 MAY 2019 VOA was a great source of housing. The website is straight to the point. Provides its mission, contact information, etc.] [10: https://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/au.htm dtd 26 MAY 2019]

However, during this journey, we will face many obstacles. For me to be able to build a house and provide food to families, the facilities must pass all inspections. For starters, the home must pass the Texas Real Estate Inspector inspection. This inspection will be checking the plumbing, condition of the yard, the interior and exterior of the home, and miscellaneous objects; smoke and carbon monoxide detector, heater/AC unit, and stair handrails. To stay on top of these major tasks, we will plan organize, and schedule days and times dedicated to each area to guarantee that the home is at an acceptable standing for the home inspection[endnoteRef:11] Next, to supply food to a family all volunteers must have a food handling certificate to give food. The facility in which we operate must pass inspection by local food inspection agencies. Therefore, the facility must have storage for foods at the correct temperatures, correct packaging, and a contamination-free environment. Lastly, all transportation must pass state inspection for food drop-off to be a success. To ensure that all aspects of this organization will be met, further research will be done to learn the rules and regulations to run this non-profit and make a change. [11: I found this information to be new to me and useful. I learned that TDHCA is what takes on the responsibility for affordable housing in Texas. It’s reliable because it provides readers with its history, therefore, we know it’s official and not someone who just up and made an agency. https://www.trec.texas.gov/become-licensed/inspector dtd 27 MAY 2019 This website provides me with what to expect if I ever wanted to sell my home or run a housing facility.]

In conclusion, as the state of Texas continues to change drastically, poverty changes alongside it. As our population grows, the percentage of individuals living in poverty changes, however, the physical being of poverty doesn’t. I’d like to study poverty to the root. What makes poverty a burden on a specific race? What makes a specific area more prone to poverty-ridden individuals than others? How does hourly pay change depending on job title, education, or work experience? These are all things that would make great research in terms of poverty in Texas.

[iChart 1. Percentage of hourly-paid wage and salary workers with earnings at or below the prevailing federal minimum wage in Texas, annual averages, 2007-2017] https://www.bls.gov/regions/southwest/news-release/minimumwageworkers_texas.htm dtd 12 MAY 2019 NOTE: This infographic shows the average wages an individual earns in Texas. This is proof of how hard making a living for themselves in Texas. As a working teen, a full-time college student who pays her car note and phone bill, making $7.25 per hour and getting paid biweekly barely gets me by. I never realized how little that pay gets anyone by until I was living that life. However, I now see why it’s important to have an education, the higher the education, the more money that goes into your pocket.

The Minimum Wage Debate: Evaluating Economic, Social, and Political Implications

Living Wage vs. Minimum Wage Dynamics

The difference between a living wage and a minimum wage is that a living wage is the amount of the minimum possible wage required to support a family. Indeed, the living wage is the remuneration of employees corrected for inflation. There is no difference based on the employee’s marital status. children, debt position, location, etc. It can also include public benefits, such as overtime pay, health care, and similar benefits. While there is no federal decent wage law, many American cities have adopted decent wage laws. Policymakers and economists usually compare the living wage to the cost of living to ascertain the relative financial health of employees.

The minimum wage is the lowest wage an employer is required by law to pay to its employees. The federal government allows it under the Fair Labor Standards Act, state or local governments. As of July 24, 2009, at $7.25 an hour. They set the federal minimum wage. Nothing has changed since then. Therefore, a full-time employee is entitled to a minimum wage of $15,080. However, the concept of the minimum wage has become useless during this period, as it has not been able to keep up with the rising cost of living, which has kept many workers living below the poverty line. State officials reserve the right to raise the minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage. All employers must pay the higher of the two – the federal minimum wage or the state/local minimum wage.

Local Insights and National Impacts

Salary rates are generally set by the federal government. However, states can also set wage rates. But you should be aware that states are adding minimum monthly wage laws. Therefore, you must comply with these changes. The state should decide the wage for American citizens. State officials know the needs of their local workers and employers much better than a federal government that is a thousand miles away. Raising the federal minimum wage will not wage war on the economy. On the contrary, it will end up benefiting everyone in different ways. It will help Americans make ends meet; prices of essentials like housing and food are on the rise in America; this increase is not at all met by the minimum wage.

As a result, the minimum wage for workers America depends on to keep other commodities affordable has been literally missed. The United States needs a minimum wage. There is no doubt about it. A minimum wage is a useful financial tool for setting cost ceilings in many industries. However, there is no rule that the minimum wage cannot be a subsistence minimum. The current minimum wage is not enough to cover the basic living costs of most Americans. Of course, the cost of living varies by geographic area. Living in rural Iowa is much cheaper than living in San Francisco.

Addressing Income Disparities and Empowering the Workforce

However, it is not how many families are struggling but how much they are struggling that should lead to a national minimum wage. The federal government must establish minimum wages for workers across the country. This will help ensure that both the people of Iowa and the people of California have the money they need to live and raise their children. This can be used by states as a baseline for adjusting the local cost of living. However, it is up to the national government to set a standard for fair wages so that it can be an example.

An increase in the minimum wage of $ 10.10 would help 27 million workers bring home an additional $ 35 billion annually. It will help alleviate income inequality. Income inequality is no longer the only concern in America. It is an epidemic, and the country is the closest to a financial epidemic. The highest-paid workers in the country do not earn 10, 20, or even 30 times the lowest-paid workers. American corporate executives earn 933 times more per year than someone who works full-time and earns minimum wage. This is a dangerous precedent for Americans.

He suggests that some Americans are worth nearly 1,000 times more than others. It’s not true. Most CEOs wouldn’t be able to run companies without people willing to work for the minimum wage. These workers are the foundation of American society, not the people of the ivory towers. Raising the minimum wage will help alleviate this income gap by making it easier for people to live on an adequate minimum wage. America’s minimum wage workers are important. The federal government can show them by putting their needs ahead of CEOs and raising the minimum wage.

Minimum Wage’s Impact on Job Creation, Welfare, and Dignity

It won’t stop job creation, when asked about raising the minimum wage, politicians yell that it will slow job creation. For Washington, job creation is the trump card in the fight for equal pay. There is no historical evidence that raising the minimum wage will destroy jobs. In fact, this idea is absurd. The minimum wage has increased significantly over the last 50 years, and the number of jobs has not decreased. Minimum wage Americans earn twice as much as before, but that doesn’t end jobs.

The idea that the minimum wage is killing jobs is what big business owners and their private politicians want to believe. They don’t want to pay higher salaries because that means they have less money for themselves. Important findings of Harkin-Myler’s proposal indicate that if the federal minimum wage is raised to 10 10.10, the impact on GDP will be positive. This increase would affect 27.8 million workers, who would bring home much higher wages and then spend them on the economy.

The result will be 22 22 billion in GDP growth. This increase will create 85,000 new jobs. The rich do not even understand a world where the rest of the population has some form of disposable income. However, it is important that they begin to take this into account. Even though they would be displaced as the elite of society, they would actually benefit from it in the long run. When more people have more money to spend, it will give the economy a moderate boost, and a better economy will benefit everyone.

It would relieve people from relying on food stamps, and there is a great disconnect between those who need to use food stamps and those who actually depend on them. By definition, it can be assumed that meal coupons will only be used by the very poor and unemployed. Unfortunately, the underemployed also rely on food stamps to meet their needs. Raising the minimum wage can help minimum wage workers buy basic food so they don’t have to rely on government-subsidized food programs.

A recent report suggests that if the minimum wage were increased by only 10 percent, it would reduce enrollment in the food voucher program between 2.4 and 3.2 percent. You can also reduce program costs by 1.9%. If the government chose to raise the federal minimum wage to $ 10.10 an hour, the increase would result in a 7.5 percent reduction to 8.7 percent in today’s food stamps. This means that between 3.1 and 3.6 million people can buy their own food. Preventing more people from relying on food stamps will do more than save the government money.

This will increase the self-esteem of all people who work hard but need extra help. This will help them meet their needs and avoid the stigma that most of society attaches to government assistance programs. This increase in self-esteem by three and a half million people is worthless; however, it comes at a price. Workers should not have to bear this price. Instead, they should benefit from a government that helps them make a living for the benefit of an economy that pays workers a penny to make a profit.

Minimum Wage’s Fiscal Impact, Advantages, and Disadvantages

It will save the federal and state governments money, both the federal and state governments spend a lot of money helping the poor. They help the unemployed, the sick, and even those who work full-time but cannot provide for their families. Raising the minimum wage would save the government money since raising it to $10.10 would take 1.7 million people off various types of public assistance. For example, a higher minimum wage would mean a cheaper food stamp program.

An increase in the minimum wage will reduce the amount of money needed to run the program by 6 percent. This 6% reduction would result in savings of $4.6 billion per year. This is just one of the state aid programs that would benefit from an increase in the minimum wage. There are many other programs that would require less money if Americans were less dependent on the program. In all, the federal government alone can save $ 7.6 billion from all of these programs because 27 million U.S. workers will receive wages from which to live. This money can then be reallocated to help those who are poor and vulnerable and help fewer people trust government programs in the future.

The advantages of minimum wage are it can be helpful depending on the type of market, and it can help with reducing the tax burden, the disadvantage is it can disrupt the economic system, it can hurt the poor, and it can create unemployment. The cons of raising the minimum wage are that it would increase the income of the low-paid, provide an incentive to increase labor productivity, reduce income inequality, evidence effect on employment is limited, increases demand in the economy as low-paid earn more, deal with monopsony power of firms, and it reduces labor turnover.

The cons of raising the minimum wage are that firms respond by increasing prices, if it increases too much, it will cause unemployment, could cause restaurants to close, lack of au in recession, lack of geographical flexibility, poor areas hit hard by the cost of minimum wage, could lead to underground labor markets to avoid regulations, and it could encourage automated society with less human interaction.

Envisioning the Positive Impacts of Minimum Wage Increase

The current minimum wage is certainly not enough to allow people to afford everyday essentials, raising the wage would allow people to lead a healthier population and avoid premature death. Raising the minimum wage will boost economic activity and boost jobs. Raising the minimum wage would reduce poverty. An increase in the minimum wage would reduce public welfare spending. The minimum wage has not kept pace with inflation.

Improvements in productivity and economic growth have outpaced the increase in the minimum wage. Raising the minimum wage would reduce income inequality. An increase in the minimum wage would help reduce racial and gender inequalities. An increase in the minimum wage will have a ripple effect, increasing the income of those earning above the minimum wage. Raising the minimum wage will increase workers’ productivity and reduce employee turnover.

The current minimum wage is not high enough to pay people for housing. Today’s minimum wage is not high enough for people to meet their daily needs. Raising the minimum wage will lead to a healthier population and prevent premature death. An increase in the minimum wage will increase schooling and reduce the number of dropouts in upper secondary schools. Raising the minimum wage would reduce the federal deficit. Raising the minimum wage would reduce crime.

References:

1. U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Minimum Wage Laws in the States – August 1, 2023. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage
2. Cooper, D. (2014). Raising the Federal Minimum Wage to $10.10 Would Lift Wages for Millions and Provide a Modest Economic Boost. Economic Policy Institute. https://www.epi.org/publication/raising-federal-minimum-wage-to-1010/
3. Allegretto, S. A., Dube, A., & Reich, M. (2018). Credible Research Designs for Minimum Wage Studies: A Response to Neumark, Salas, and Wascher. ILR Review, 71(5), 1177–1208. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019793917720610
4. Congressional Research Service. (2019). The Effects of a Minimum-Wage Increase on Employment and Family Income. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R45090
5. National Employment Law Project. (2022). Raising the Minimum Wage Would Boost Incomes and Reduce Poverty. https://www.nelp.org/publication/raising-the-minimum-wage-would-boost-incomes-and-reduce-poverty/
6. Reich, M., Allegretto, S., & Montialoux, C. (2019). What Does the Minimum Wage Do? ILR Review, 72(2), 305–329. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019793918820813
7. Cooper, D. (2016). Raising the Federal Minimum Wage to $12 by 2020 Would Lift Wages for 35 Million American Workers. Economic Policy Institute. https://www.epi.org/publication/raising-the-federal-minimum-wage-to-12-by-2020-would-lift-wages-for-35-million-american-workers/
8. Dube, A. (2019). Minimum Wages and the Distribution of Family Incomes. Journal of Labor Economics, 37(S2), S363–S412. https://doi.org/10.1086/702490
9. U.S. Census Bureau. (2020). Income and Poverty in the United States: 2019. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2020/demo/p60-270.html
10. Allegretto, S. A., & Reich, M. (2019). The Choices Made by Minimum Wage Workers: Evidence from the Current Population Survey. ILR Review, 72(2), 346–378. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019793918789835

The Impact of Minimum Wage on Workforce Equality and Economic Well-being

Contrasting Early Childhood Programs and Employment Benefits

Headstart is a free federally funded program for kids from three to five years old; they are not a daycare; they teach preschool. Headstart can offer free medical and dental services for the kids. Head Start is required to serve all kids, no matter race, disability, or wealth. Daycare is not free, and it is a privately run business that takes babies from six weeks to twelve years old and watches them when their parents work. Daycares don’t have to do preschool, and it is an option.

A daycare has to be state-licensed if they have more than six kids. Daycares do not have to serve all kids, and they can choose what kids they want to take or don’t want to take. The benefits of a high-quality daycare, according to CCA or Child Care Advantage, are a “regular schedule and activities, academic advancement, time with peers, interaction with other adults, and a smoother transition to kindergarten.” The benefits of sending your kid to Headstart, according to Benefits Of Headstart, are it “provides children with activities that help them grow mentally, socially, emotionally and physically.

They learn to solve problems. The children also improve their listening and speaking skills. The children spend time in settings where they form good habits and enjoy playing with toys and working on tasks with classmates.” The Head Start’s lead teacher needs at least a bachelor’s degree and, in some states, a master’s degree, and a daycare worker, need a high school diploma or equivalent to a high school diploma. Daycare workers make nine dollars and forty cents per hour. Head Start teachers make ten to eighteen dollars per hour.

The benefits of working at Macy’s, according to Macy’s Job online website, are “flexible work schedules to fit your life, advanced work schedules, employee discounts, receive on-job training, grow and advance as part of the Macy’s team, being in the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade, get health and retirement benefits.” You can make up to eleven dollars-fifty two cents an hour to nineteen dollars-forty seven cents an hour. Macy’s has a dress code. You have to wear black pants and a black or red jacket.

Perks and Progression

You get a twenty percent employee discount, and Macy’s gives bonuses. You get vacation time, and time pays off. According to Indeed.com,” Macy’s has more than ten billion dollars in revenue, and they have more than ten thousand employees.” According to job aplications.com, “Macy’s sales associates primarily assist customers. Key responsibilities include greeting patrons, providing product knowledge, directing customers to fitting rooms, and completing transactions on the cash register.

Primary job duties on the cash register include processing payments, applying coupons and promotional codes, issuing receipts, and bagging items upon the conclusion of transactions, stocking racks and shelves, and maintaining a presentable sales environment.” You do not need a high school diploma, and they have on-the-job training. If you are a barista working at Starbucks, you usually make ten to fifteen dollars an hour.

The benefits of working at Starbucks, according to the Starbucks website, are “reward achievement of specific business goals for eligible positions, includes health coverage, income protection, time off, tuition reimbursement, employee assistance programs and more. Future Roast, our 401(k) savings plan, includes Starbucks matching contributions to help you save for the future.” The Starbucks dress code, according to the Starbucks website, is “a range of shirt colors beyond solid black and white are welcome, including gray, navy, dark denim and brown, including patterns.

Behind the Counter and Beyond

Shorts, skirts, dresses, and pants, including dark-wash jeans, are all part of the Starbucks wardrobe, and partners are invited to make a statement with hair color, so long as coloring is permanent or semi-permanent, in keeping with food-safety standards.” Job expectations, according to the job applications website, are “Starbucks baristas perform several job duties and provide customer service. Baristas at Starbucks take orders and make coffee, tea, and other drinks to customer specifications.

Starbucks baristas may also operate cash registers and credit card machines. Baristas may field customer complaints or questions, as well. Baristas at Starbucks also must often clean coffee machines, restaurant areas, restrooms, and preparation areas during a normal shift.” Baristas work to maintain good customer relations and speedy delivery of all beverages as well as complete assigned tasks from management every day. Starbucks employees are not allowed to use their phones during their shifts, and if their supervisor sees them using their phones, they can take them away.

The equipment most baristas use, according to www.crema coffee garage.com, is a “coffee tamp, tap mat, barista cloths, milk Jugs, knock Bin/Waste Tube, thermometer, espresso machine cleaner, group head brush, dosing scales, and espresso shot glass.” According to www.bizfluent.com, “There are no specific educational qualifications to become a barista for most employers, though a high school diploma is often preferred or required.

Baristas looking to improve their skills can obtain professional training through school training programs and online barista certification courses.” The job description of a telemarketer, according to the Career Planner website, is “deliver prepared sales talks, reading from scripts that describe products or services, in order to persuade potential customers to purchase a product or service or to make a donation. Contact businesses or private individuals by telephone in order to solicit sales for goods or services or to request donations for charitable causes. Explain products or services and prices, and answer questions from customers.”

Empowering Inclusion

Telemarketers make eight dollars-sixty eight cents per hour. You need a high school diploma or equivalent to a high school diploma. Telemarketing jobs have on-the-job training. According to USA Today, “343,483 more people with disabilities joined the workforce in 2016.” One in five Americans have a disability. According to New York Times, “Hiring people with disabilities is good for business. A recent study has shown, for the first time, that companies that championed people with disabilities actually outperformed others driving profitability and shareholder returns. Revenues were 28 percent higher, net income 200 percent higher, and profit margins 30 percent higher. Companies that improved internal practices for disability inclusion were also four times more likely to see higher total shareholder returns.”

According to www.nationalconferenceofstatelegislatures.com, “At nearly 20 percent of the population, people with disabilities are one of the nation’s largest minority groups. Yet the most recent U.S. disability employment statistics show that only 20 percent of people with disabilities are participating in the workforce, compared to 69.1 percent of people without disabilities.”

According to www.FastComapny.com, “People with disabilities are still hired at less than half the rate of those without them and are paid less. People with disabilities make up about 13% of the U.S. population. people with disabilities are paid about $5,000 less per year than people without disabilities, making the poverty rate of those with disabilities more than twice that of people without them.” According to www.thebalancecareers.com, the pros of raising the minimum wage are “raised living standards for impoverished workers, cause workers income to be above the poverty level, and reduces gender and race-based income inequality.”

According to www.WhenIWork.com the cons of raising the minimum wage are “layoffs, price increase, fewer hirings, competition will intensify.” According to www.Investopedia.com “The minimum wage in the United States is no longer a living wage. At $7.25, the federal minimum hasn’t kept up with the cost of living since the late 1960s, and there’s a growing movement among workers, policy analysts, state and city governments, and even some employers, to raise it. “According to www.Investopedia.com, “The minimum wage is meant to be a living wage.

Exploring Diverse Pathways

In 1933, five years before the first minimum wage became law, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said: “By living wages, I mean more than a bare subsistence level. I mean the wages of decent living.” According to www.vocationalrehabiltiation.com, “Vocational Rehabilitation (V.R.) is a state-federal program whose goal is to assist people with disabilities prepare for, secure, retain or regain employment. Pre-employment transition services provide opportunities for students with disabilities to learn through work and education.

Pre-employment Transition Services include job exploration, work-based learning opportunities, workplace readiness training, and instruction in self-advocacy.” According to www.Experis.com, these job interview tips will help you when you go for a job interview, “research the industry and company, clarify your selling points and the reasons you want the job, anticipate the interviewer’s concerns and reservations, prepare for common interview questions, line up your questions for the interviewer, and practice.” According to www. Jobcorps.com, “Job Corps is the largest free residential education and job training program for young adults ages sixteen to twenty-four.

At Job Corps, students have access to room and board while they learn skills in specific training areas for up to three years. Job Corps also provides transitional support services, such as help finding employment, housing, child care, and transportation. “College is not for everyone, and that is ok; there are alternatives to college, so don’t feel pressured to go to college. According to www.nerdwallet.com, “the alternatives to college is a community college, apprenticeship, trade school, and coding boot camps.” You can always join the workforce until you know what you want to do or until you save enough money to go to college.

According to www.jobapplications.com the job duties of an Apple Bee’s Host are “meeting, greeting, and seating guests, taking and making reservations, and answering questions about menu items and other general inquiries. Other specific hosting job duties may include assisting management with administrative tasks and setting tables for guests.” The abilities and personalities you need to be an Applebee’s Host, according to www.jobapplications.com “excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced setting. Personable personalities and friendly attitudes also prove beneficial. Applebee’s hosts must dress professionally, smile often, and look presentable.” According to www.jobapplications.com, “Apple Bee’s Host start out at an hourly wage of $2.00 with experience; some Applebee’s hosts may make up to $12.00 an hour, depending on location.

Navigating Challenges and Advocating for Change

The average pay rate is $6.71 per hour, along with tips.” According to www.indeed.com, “Apple Bee’s Hostess are only allowed to wear black clothes and no facial piercings.” According to the Apple Bee’s Handbook, “employees may not use or carry a cell phone while on the clock.” You need a high school diploma or equivalent to a high school diploma for education. Apple Bee has on-the-job training. According to www.NBCNews.com, “Hosts and hostesses are the fourth lowest paid job in America.”

According to www.gobankingrates.com, you can live on a minimum wage if you follow these steps” create a budget that prioritizes needs, avoid debt, build an emergency fund, eat at home, cut the cost of groceries, keep down the cost of utilities, sell what you don’t need, and buy used rather than new.” According to www.bussinessnewsdaily.com it is illegal to ask a candidate for a job interview questions about “age, race, ethnicity, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, country of origin, birthplace, religion, disability, marital status, family status, health problems, and pregnancy.” According to www.moneycrashers.com “in 2014 several prominent politicians made an unusual choice, for one week they all voluntarily try to live on just seven dollars and twenty-five cents an hour, the federal minimum wage. They were taking the Live the Wage Challenge.

This challenge was part of a campaign to raise the federal minimum wage, which hasn’t increased since 2009.” The goal was to show people firsthand how difficult it is to live on seven dollars and twenty-five cents an hour and encourage them to support the wage hike. Most politicians who took the Live the Wage Challenge couldn’t manage to make it through the whole week. My conclusion from all the research I have done is that the minimum wage is not a livable wage, and we need to make it a livable wage so that people can survive and not work themselves to death just so that they can get by.

We also need to hire more people with disabilities because they are human and just as valuable and able to work too, We also need to give them equal pay. People with disabilities need to advocate for themselves and not just in the workforce but in other areas of life as well. If we hire more people with disabilities, then we will make our economy better. I think more wealthy, powerful people need to take the Live the Wage challenge so that they can see firsthand how many people struggle to just get by.

References:

1. Benefits Of Headstart. “Benefits Of Headstart.” Head Start – Benefits Of Headstart. https://benefitof.net/benefits-of-headstart/.
2. Child Care Advantage (CCA). “Child Care Advantage (CCA).” Child Care Advantage, www.childcareadvantage.com/benefit.php.
3. Indeed.com. “Macy’s Salaries in the United States.” Indeed.com. https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Macy’s/salaries.
4. Job Applications. “Macy’s Sales Associate Job Description, Duties, Salary & More.” Job Applications, www.job-applications.com/mmacys-sales-associate/.
5. Starbucks. “Starbucks Benefits.” Starbucks. https://www.starbucks.com/careers/working-at-starbucks/benefits.
6. Crema Coffee Garage. “List of Barista Equipment You Need to Make a Perfect Coffee.” Crema Coffee Garage, 2 Nov. 2021, www.cremacoffeegarage.com.au/blog/barista-equipment-list/.
7. Bizfluent. “How Much Does a Barista Get Paid?” Bizfluent, 26 Sep. 2017, bizfluent.com/about-7511817-much-barista-paid.html.
8. USA Today. “343,483 More People with Disabilities Joined the Workforce in 2016.” USA Today, 6 Sep. 2017, www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2017/09/06/343-483-more-people-disabilities-joined-workforce-2016/630194001/.
9. The New York Times. “The Business Case for Hiring Workers with Disabilities.” The New York Times, 4 Sep. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/09/04/business/hiring-disabilities.html.
10. National Conference of State Legislatures. “People with Disabilities in the Labor Market.” National Conference of State Legislatures, 28 Oct. 2020, www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/people-with-disabilities-in-the-labor-market.aspx.

A State-Level Approach for Fairness in a Diverse Economic Landscape

Federal vs. State Oversight

We have seen more lately in the news that the federal minimum wage needs to be at least $15.00/hr to support a living. The cost of living is different depending on where a person lives. Do we really need a minimum wage set by the Federal Government or can the state oversee a program that would insure a fairness to all? When the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt it only affected twenty percent of the labor force according to U.S. Department of Labor at that time. This act was to help people get out of the Great Depression and to prevent works from being taken advantage of. During this time, men, women and children were being asked to work for pennies a day for long hours in factories. When looking at the jobs that pay minimum wage today we think of fast food restaurants, retail shops, and gas stations.

Consumer Impact and Job Market Dynamics

Minimum wage jobs should be here to help you get the experanse need to advance into a career, pay for college or trade school. In today`s world, you see all age groups working in minimum wage jobs, not just the young kid behind the counter saving up for their first car or college. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that only 2.3 percent as of the end of 2017 work in jobs that pay at or less than minimum wage which is down from 2016`s 2.7 percent. When looking at the data from 2017, The Bureau of Labor Statistics found most people that are making minimum wage are non- married African American or black women under 25 without a high school diploma. Most of the time they work part-time in jobs that they could earn tips to compensate for the low minimum wage earnings.

If minimum wage is raised to $15.00/hr will that affect the consumer and could it also affect the job market in the area? Look at California on their way of raising the minimum wage to $15.00/hr. According to Michael Saltsman at Forbes Magazine, by 2022, 400,000 jobs will no long exist. Harvard Business School and Mathematica Policy Research found that at least some of business closings and the lay off of staff in the Bay Area was due to an increase of minimum wage and some companies even left the area. Research was also done by Berkeley in the Fresno County data was taken from the Census Bureau`s American Community Survey and from other Census and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics datasets along with economists (Reich). Fresno County was chosen because of its high poverty level.

Consumer Costs, Employment Trends, and Regional Disparities

From this study Berkeley did they found that California’s economy has recovered back to the pre-recession (2007) levels. The effects of raising the minimum wage had on the workforce was it increase pay for undereducated and some people that had some college background. Most of the jobs that people are that pay minimum wage are part time. They still will not be receiving full time benefits like health care, 401Ks and any other benefits that a full time job would allow for. When it comes to business and the consumer Berkeley looked at three types of industries retail, restaurants, and healthcare this three make up around 40% of the private sector. The increase cost in pay will be even out with the decrease in employees leaving for better paying jobs. The increase cost will roll over to the consumer at a 0.6% rate over the next five years. The research also shows their will only be a 0.1 increase in employment by 2023.

In conclusion, minimum wage needs to be handled at the state level where the local representative can determine what is justified as a living wage. According to bestplaces.net, if a person in Dallas, Texas made $65,000 a year it would be equivalent to $117,748 in Los Angeles, California.The cost of living differs from state to state so in a state where the cost of living is lower a person can live comfortable on $15.00/hr, but in a state where the cost of living is much higher a person may just be getting by. The cost of living in Texas is much cheaper than some other states like California. Texas has minimum wage that is the same as the National level at $7.25/hr, $290.00/week, $15,080.00/year and has not changed since 2008 (Texas). A family (two parent home with two children) can not live on this pay alone most of the time it takes two parents working fulltime to make it work.

References:

1. Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers, 2017 : BLS Reports. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1 Mar. 2018, www.bls.gov/opub/reports/minimum-wage/2017/home.htm.
2. Cost of Living Comparison: Compare Dallas, Texas to Los Angeles, California, www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/dallas-tx/los-angeles-ca/65000.
3. Ramage, John D., et al. Writing Arguments: a Rhetoric with Readings. Pearson, 2016.
4. Reich, Michael. Effects of a $15 Minimum Wage in California and Fresno. Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, 11 Jan. 2017, irle.berkeley.edu/effects-of-a-15-minimum-wage-in-california-and-fresno/.
5. Saltsman, Michael. Why The $15 Minimum Wage Will Cost California 400,000 Jobs. Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 15 Dec. 2017, www.forbes.com/sites/michaelsaltsman/2017/12/15/why-the-15-minimum-wage-will-cost-california-400000-jobs/#70204dd143b9.
6. Texas Minimum Wage for 2017, 2018. Federal and State Minimum Wage Rates for 2018, www.minimum-wage.org/texas.
7. U.S. Department of Labor. Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938: Maximum Struggle for a Minimum Wage, www.dol.gov/general/aboutdol/history/flsa1938.