Should the Federal Minimum Wage Be Increased?
Imagine if you had a family to take care of, but you are working at McDonalds. You break your back every day, but you bring home very little income. Imagine looking at the frustration and disappointment in your family’s faces; they are in need of food, clothing, and shelter. No matter what you try to do, it is not enough. This is a common story among people who only make minimum wage. The federal minimum wage should be increased, because even people who earn more than minimum wage cannot get past the poverty line. In addition, it reduces costly employee turnover, increases productivity, and stimulates the economy.
Even for those who live at or below the poverty level, a minimum wage is not sufficient to support them and their families. However, expectations do exist for qualifying for free government assistance. For instance, “Federal Poverty Levels are used to see if you qualify for cost assistance when buying insurance through the State or Federal Health Marketplace” (“Federal Poverty…” 1).
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Money is an issue in our economy because it relates directly to a career. Teenagers make less money than adults due to their hourly wages. According to “Minimum Wage Question and Answer”, “Adults over the age of 20 make up 88 percent of all workers who would receive a raise if the federal minimum wage were raised to $10.10 per hour” (1). People work just as hard in minimum wage jobs as they do in some careers. That is a problem in our country because qualifications are very restricted and limited. There are high expectations in order to become eligible for a decent salary. For instance, some people cannot afford college and therefore do not qualify for most well-paying jobs. This is not fair for people, especially ones who dream of attending college or breaking out of their poverty line. Overall, everyone should have equal financial