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Positive and negative effects of raising the minimum wage
Positive and negative effects of raising the minimum wage
Effects of low minimum wage
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This article focuses on the effects of a new minimum wage in Toronto, Canada. The Ontario government is planning to increase the minimum wage from $11.40 to $15 by 2019. A minimum wage is a level of income set by the government, which is the lowest amount an employer can pay an employee. A minimum wage is typically introduced to protect the employees of an economy by setting a wage that could support a minimum standard of living. A minimum wage will increase the average income of a country, and this increases the welfare in a society. There are two main opinions on the effects that this minimum wage has, and both are mentioned in the article. The theoretical effect would be in an increase in unemployment, however, it could help the economy grow in the long run and do not affect unemployment.
Diagram for Real Wage Unemployment
This diagram illustrates what
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The primary way would be through government intervention. With an increase in minimum wage comes an increase in average wage rates in a country which would increase tax revenue for the government. This new increase in revenue for the government gives them the opportunity to allocate that money to relieve unemployment. The most significant way they could do this is through an increase in investments. The Ontario government could increase investment in new infrastructure or public goods for the country. These new establishments create new job opportunities, as more labor is needed to make these new establishments. Another way the government can intervene to create more jobs is to invest in teaching under-skilled workers. When the government can provide workers who lack the skills needed to keep their jobs with more ways to learn those skills required, they become more useful and needed in the job market, making them a less likely target for getting
Minimum wage is something that maintains the stability of a states economy. Minimum wage is regulated by the provincial government where the most minor of changes creates an exponential ripple effect through both local and international economies. A minimum wage is the wage that is able to provide not only for bare physical needs but also for preservation of efficiency of workers plus some measure of education, health and other things. Like it’s stated above, minimum wage has ties to many other things other than income, such as: education, healthcare, economic statuses and stability, worker efficiency and overall family life. Cost of living is the level of prices relating to a range of everyday items. Left unrelated, the impact of Ontario’s minimum wage not being coupled up with its cost of living can leave not only the economy in detriment, but other social factors as well including, education, healthcare, economic statuses and stability, worker efficiency, family life also increasing the chance of riots, revolutions and in an extreme situation, wars. Minimum wage is one, if not, one of the most crucial aspects of a country in order to maintain adequate levels of stability of a country or state.
Understanding the basic concept of minimum wage is important for every single individual. We all live in this world together, and it is obvious that there is an order. In order to continue our lives and afford our basic needs, we all need to work and gain wealth. As the old adage says ‘‘There ain’t such a thing as a free lunch. ’’
Mascella, A., S. Teja and B. S. Thompson. "Minimum Wage Increases as an Anti-Poverty Policy in Ontario." Canadian Public Policy 35.3 (2009): 373-379. Print.
Currently, in the United States, the federal minimum wage has been $7.25 for the past six years; however, in 1938 when it first became a law, it was only $0.25. In the United States the federal minimum wage has been raised 22 times since 1938 by a significant amount due to changes in the economy. Minimum wage was created to help America in poverty and consumer power purchasing, but studies have shown that minimum wage increases do not reduce poverty. By increasing the minimum wage, it “will lift some families out of poverty, while other low-skilled workers may lose their jobs, which reduces their income and drops their families into poverty” (Wilson 4). When increasing minimum wage low-skilled, workers living in poor families,
In the article, “Let’s Make the Minimum Wage a Living Wage” by Ira Knight, he argues how the economy would benefit from a minimum wage increase and he uses a lot of studies to back up his claims. Janice Steele, however, argues that raising the minimum wage will hurt small business and job opportunity. She uses fear to influence workers into not increasing minimum wage by making large generalizations. The article “Let’s Make the Minimum Wage a Living Wage” by Ira Knight and the article by Janice Steele “Keep the Minimum Wage Where It Is” both had good points. However, Ira Knight makes a stronger argument.
Minimum wage is a difficult number to decide on because it affects different income earning citizens in different ways. According to Principles of Microeconomics, by N. Gregory Mankiw, minimum wage is a law that establishes the lowest price for labor that and employer may pay (Mankiw 6-1b). Currently, the minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour. For many years politicians and citizens have argued on what should be the minimum wage that would benefit the economy and society in general. A minimum wage was first established in 1938 to increase the standard of living of lower class workers. To discuss what is better for the country and its citizens, people have to understand what is a minimum wage and what are its effects.
Many people can think back and remember what it was like to put in an application for that first job and be presented with a position. Taking that position represents adulthood and is a very exciting time for a young person. All first jobs usually start with a minimum wage. Minimum wage is the minimum an employer has to pay an unskilled worker based on the regulations set forth by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that was originally established in 1938. As people think back about their first jobs they can also remember what the minimum wage was when they took that position. Minimum wage is only increased based on the cost of living from the prior year. If the previous year shows an increase then the minimum wage will increase in the coming new year. Sinegal (2009) stated "The increase in the minimum wage is long overdue. Paying your employees well is not only the right thing to do but it makes for good business". Based on the cost of living we show for the year of 2009 minimum wage will not increase for 2010. Minimum wage is currently at $7.25 per hour. Most people who start at this rate are young people who are in high school or college and are working a few hours to help pay for school. After they graduate they can apply for better jobs and move on. People who live in areas without growth, single mothers trying to raise their children, and uneducated people are working more than one minimum wage job to make enough money to pay their financial obligations. While the cost of living did not increase, minimum wage is low because no increase is planned for 2010 a...
The definition of Minimum Wage is “an amount of money that is the least amount of money per hour that workers must be paid according to the law” (Minimum wage). Minimum wage, like other laws, are used to keep the economy in line. Minimum wage laws were invented in Australia and New Zealand with the purpose of guaranteeing a minimum standard of living for unskilled workers. (Linda Gorman) Minimum wage puts a price on the services one offers. Many different principles can be used to explain Minimum wage and explore the different aspects of it. Including what minimum wage does for our economy and the current status of it.
The minimum wage has always been a controversial subject that has more and more people debating about the subject. While the talk about minimum wages are highly popular it is an important subject to get informed about if you’re an employee or employer because it has to deal with your money. What is minimum wage? Minimum wage is the hourly wage an employer can pay an employee for his or her work. While the talk about raising the minimum wage has caused some attention in both negative and positive. Nevertheless, the topic that the minimum wage offers substantial benefits to low wage workers without any negative effects to business owners has a growing view among economists.
The minimum wage being too low has been a public issue in America for generations. Basically, the debate includes two different opinions. Firstly, people who want to raise the minimum wage, and second, people who would rather is stay the same. The overwhelming majority of liberals are on the side that favors a raise. Additionally, a somewhat smaller proportion of conservatives favor the change as well, but for different reasons. The liberal opinion on raising the minimum wage is based on the idea that putting more money in the people’s pockets, will stimulate the economy, and decrease poverty. The problem that conservatives and liberals alike have with this, is that a few direct consequences are proven to apply when raising wages. Some proposed consequences include unemployment, inflation, and unfairness to higher educated people. Another main point is that raising the minimum wage is thought to helps small business by increasing worker satisfaction. This issue of minimum wage has become increasingly popular and important in current times, as president Obama has proposed the idea of raising the minimum wage of contract workers to 10.10$ per hour (about a 30% increase from the current 7.25$ per hour minimum wage). A large number of people consider this wage hike unnecessary due to the fact that today’s value of minimum is higher than it has ever been since the 80’s, and because the wage hike comes at too high of a cost. All things considered, the issue of raising minimum wage is not a battle of political parties and their agendas, its really a debate between everyone.
As Canadian's fertility rate fells, baby boomers retires, immigration and foreign workers becomes very important for the increase of labor demands in the Canadian's job market. The government is planning to reduce the application waiting time and therefore there will be more newcomers coming in the next fewer years. Canadian companies will then have many experienced and foreign trained applicants where they can help Canadian companies to increase their foreign trade and to build a better relationship with the other country. However, new comers have difficulties in finding employment because of their unrecognized foreign qualifications, non Canadian work experienced and the lack of support in the settlement programs where they get help to find employment.
For many people in the United States, life is no more than a regular work cycle. Members of working class usually have a High School diploma and may work in a low skilled occupation or manual labor. Most of the enjoying age of this people is spent in working, as they don’t want their new once to have a life they struggling through. Therefore, this essay will argue that minimum wage should be increased federally to $15/hour by 2017. Firstly, if taxes touches the sky, why should the minimum wage be on the ground? Increasing minimum wages would also create new opportunities for education as the students wouldn’t have to work crazy hours. Likewise, many couples won’t have to work multiple jobs in order to manage the household. Lastly, it will lift
Minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay employers are legally able to pay their workers. In United States there is huge debate on whether or not to raise the current minimum wage rates from seven dollars and twenty five cents per hour. States are leading push to increase the minimum wage by Democrats who appeal to working class Americans. Congress want to increase minimum wages above seven dollars and twenty five cents. The issues of whether to raise the minimum wage or not.
An occurring topic in society today is raising the minimum wage. Minimum wage is the least amount of payment per hour an employer is allowed to give an employee ( a person working for an organization for a salary) for work legally. The national minimum wage is $7.25, but some states have raised it a little bit higher, due to the reason that different states have different costs of living. Currently the national minimum wage is still under $15 an hour. In the United States, 77.2 million workers of ages 16 and above were paid hourly in 2014.
For the past three decades minimum wage has been seen to rise several times. Only helping some but more than anything harming most. So who are the ones feeling the effects? Certainly not the wealthy, it never is them, mainly it would be the working poor, unskilled and teenagers. Raising minimum wage would cripple the public even more than what it would actually help.