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Pro Minimum Wage Essay

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The United States’ minimum wage was enacted by the federal government in 1938 by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Cornell University Law School defines minimum wage as laws to establish a base level of pay that employers are required to pay certain covered employees” (“Minimum Wage”). The minimum wage started out at $.25 per hour (equal to $4.19 in 2015 (Kurtz and Yellin) when the law was first established. This law was part of the New Deal President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law in 1938. Although the federal minimum wage is currently $7.25, several states have their own minimum wage laws above $7.25. A few of the states among the highest minimum wage are Washington, D.C. which has a minimum wage of $10.50, California and Massachusetts which have a minimum wage of $10, and Alaska which has a minimum wage of $9.75 (“The 10 States”). While a person could live on minimum wage alone, they could only support their self, no kids or other family members, and they would still be teetering on the brink of poverty. A person working a full time job at minimum wage pay earns just over $15,000 a year, just a few thousand dollars over the United States government’s poverty threshold. People who earn tips …show more content…

We need to keep the minimum wage low, because everybody wants to make a lot more than minimum wage, and an increase won’t make anyone’s dreams come true. It’s kind of like saying to a hungry person: “I could give you a sandwich, but I know what you’d really love is an eight-course meal at the Four Seasons. So no sandwich.” Or saying to the public: “It would be great if we could magically eliminate 100 percent of crime, but since we can’t, we’re not going to bother to have a police

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The idea of a minimum wage first emerged in the early 20th century, when reformers and labor groups pushed for legislation that would place a floor on salaries. As part of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the first minimum wage law was enacted in the United States in 1938. Since then, numerous nations have passed minimum wage legislation to safeguard workers against exploitation and poverty. Example #1–Historical (pre-1900)

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As www.raisetheminimumwage.com states… “The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, which translates to $15,080 for a full-time, year-round worker.” We must look at all the viewpoints of each of the people affected in the economy to address this

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The federal minimum wage should be increased because it would decrease poverty rates, stimulate the economy, and inflation has surpassed current wages. A raise in the federal minimum wage would help pull millions of Americans out of poverty. Currently, there are over forty-three million Americans who live beneath the poverty line (“Should We Raise”). Of those in poverty, many are trying to support themselves, as well as their families, while living off of a minimum wage job.

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In reality some people don’t have the education or skills to get a well paying job. Those are the people who end up taking minimum wage jobs or becoming homeless. Minimum wage is the lowest wage a worker can legally get. From the start of the law in 1938 the wage has increased slowly(Annalyn Kurtz, CNNMoney). Minimum wage should be kept and raised, it helps people who can’t get a higher paying job live.

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Abstract The minimum wage has been the subject of intense debate for many years. Proponents contend that it improves workers' quality of life, reduces poverty, and boosts economic growth. Opponents counter that it causes higher unemployment rates and increases company expenses (Maverick, 2024). In this essay, I will examine the advantages and disadvantages of the minimum wage in the United States while examining aspects linked to and unrelated to employment. I shall draw attention to important subjects using relevant data and charts.

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Josh Ilyadzhanov English 10-2 Ms. Tunick Minimum Wage Essay Did you know that over forty five million Americans lived under the poverty lines just last year (Census bureau)? Minimum wage is the lowest wage permitted by law for any job in the United States of America, and was established in 1938 by the Fair Labor Standards Acts. Minimum wage started at an all time low $0.25 and over time has changed twenty two times. The current minimum wage in America is $7.25 per hour. Nowadays in America, poverty is at an all time high of 14.5%, which is atrocious for the economy.

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