The Issue Of The Minimum Wage - 1514 Words

Introduction 6-8 pages The issue of the minimum wage has recently come to the forefront of the debate on social policy. There is much disagreement over the wisdom of an increase in the minimum wage in the current fragile economic recovery. Some argue that a dramatic increase is what is needed in order to lift the standard of living for those in the bottom of the economic pyramid. Economists reason that the basic principle of supply and demand mandates than an increase in the wage would result in the loss of available jobs. Small businesses maintain that it would spell their doom. Synopsis of the Issue The minimum wage is intended to protect workers and fight poverty. In the United States, the federal government sets the minimum wage at $7.25 per hour although many states set higher minimums. There is currently a movement to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. This movement is called the â€Å"Living Wage Movement† (Living Wage Resource Center, 2016) or the â€Å"Fight for $15† (Fortunato, 2016) and purports to address the problem of poverty in America. The minimum wage was established in the United States by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 at 25 cents per hour. These laws are broadly supported by the public. Congress enacted these rules to combat â€Å"labor conditions detrimental to the maintenance of the minimum standard of living necessary for health, efficiency, and the general well-being of the workers† (Sharp, 2013 p. 71). The purpose and intent ofShow MoreRelatedMinimum Wage Issues1203 Words   |  5 PagesMinimum wage is one of the biggest issues facing American society today. The government has been involved in the minimum wage of workers for more than a hundred years, so government and people have debated about what should be the minimum wage that would advantage the economy and society in total. But unfortunately, after a long time arguing about this problem nothing change and the American worker and breadwinner are still struggling with their income, so the big problem for the American societyRead MoreT he Issue Of Minimum Wage Essay853 Words   |  4 PagesThe issue of minimum wage is not a new one to our society, American’s have fought for minimum wage continuously since it was introduced by â€Å"President Roosevelt on June 25, 1938 as part of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.† (Forbes) Workers have fought to keep the minimum wage in line with demand. It is important to remember that because this is such a heated debate, we are getting fed different information from different news sources, trying to scare us into believing one way or another.Read MoreMinimum Wage Is A Issue2219 Words   |  9 PagesMinimum wage is a contentious issue only because it is debated by a vast and eclectic audience that cares for the heart of the matter. Minimum wage is at the source of the economist s main interest; in pursuit of discovering its connection to job loss. Countries all around the globe, maintain minimum wage laws without any noticeable fluctuation. For this reason, it is coming to an apparent importance to policy makers everywhere. Those that tend to earn a minimum wage are mainly coming from low incomeRead MoreThe Issue Over Minimum Wage854 Words   |  4 PagesToday our society encounters multiple controversial issues that generations before hand would have never dreamed of having. A common controversy in America is the issue over min imum wage. The main issue over minimum wage is whether or not it should be raised or if it should stay the same. Personally I feel that it should remain the same. Minimum wage jobs were not created to become careers. Increasing minimum wage can lead to many things such as the loss of jobs, the increase of prices, and couldRead MoreIssue of Raising the Minimum Wage1527 Words   |  7 Pagesworld today. A major debate that has been an issue is whether there should be a law to raise the minimum wage. The minimum wage is the lowest hourly salary an employer can pay an employee for their work. According to Williams (2013), â€Å"The minimum wage was signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1938†. The first minimum wage was 25 cents per hour. Since then, the minimum wage has been increasing as the last increase of Floridas minimum wage was an increase of 14 cents on Jan. 1, 2014.Read MoreMinimum Wage Is Not A Minor Issue1858 Words   |  8 PagesAnam Jafri Mr. Morris AP English 3 15 January 2016 Minimum Wage Is Not a Minor Issue In America and countries around the world, we face a universal problem: poverty. Among many options, a widespread solution for this problem is the implementation of a minimum wage. Aside from the US, countries such as Luxembourg, Belgium, and Ireland all have set minimum wages(Petroff). Minimum wage was first established during the Great Depression when President John F.Kennedy was striving to help the economy andRead MoreThe Issues Of Inflation And Minimum Wage1963 Words   |  8 Pages Unfortunately, while looking at the big picture, things can go overlooked or, in a worst case scenario, become skewed. Recessions can cause people to lose faith in economists, and economists can even lose their own optimism. The issues of inflation and minimum wage, as well as numerous other economic factors, could have massive ramifications upon our economy in the future decades to come. After the Great Depression and World War II, the United States and other countries around the world were strugglingRead MoreThe Issue Of Income Inequality And Minimum Wage1179 Words   |  5 Pagesthereof, is one of the biggest issues plaguing the Unites States of America. One of the key issues that have risen in recent times on the media is the widening wage gap between the rich and the poor, and the debate on whether or not an increase in minimum wage could solve the problem. While the whole nation would like to solve the issue of income inequality and minimum wage, the focus of this argumentative paper will be on the state of California. An increase in minimum wage should be adopted since everyoneRead MoreRaising The Minimum Wage Is The Issue Of Social Equality1398 Words   |  6 Pagesworking class. Today media focuses on the rich and upper middle class. For instance, they focus one Donald Trump, who is running for president. Instead of the issue of raising the minimum wage fo r fast food workers. The issue of raising the minimum wage is the issue of social equality. This shows the importance of how social equality is a major issue for people. Social equality has caused an inequality between the poor and rich, which has limited the opportunities for the poor working class. In the MiddleRead MoreEthical Issues Draft : Finding The Right Minimum Wage1705 Words   |  7 PagesEthical Issues Draft – Finding the Right Minimum Wage Minimum wage has only been around in the United States (US) for a short period of time. Since 1938, the minimum wage has undergone many changes in its laws and regulations and has been raised to extreme amounts in some states. Today states must provide at least the equivalent minimum wage set by the federal government. Some states, however, chose to raise the minimum wage rate higher than that set by the federal government. In those states,