Current Events Paper – Minimum Wage
What do you believe the federal minimum wage should be? Be sure to take aÂ
sociological perspective and reference the concept ofÂ
living wage
whileÂ
crafting a 3-page argument. Â
Background Information:Â
On January 14, 2021, as President-elect Joe Biden unveiled a $1.9 trillionÂ
coronavirus aid package, he urged Congress to raise the federal minimum wage toÂ
$15 per hour, a number still below the cost of living for many Americans. “FloridaÂ
just passed it, as divided as that state is, they just passed it,†he said, “The rest of theÂ
country is ready to move as well.†Indeed, the proposal has bipartisan support, sinceÂ
as far back as July 27, 2016 Donald Trump chimed in, “The minimum wage has to goÂ
up…But I think…that states should really call the shot…At the same time, peopleÂ
have to be taken care of.†Despite declarations from both political sides, the federalÂ
minimum wage has remained stagnant at $7.25 since July 24th, 2009.Â
Proponents contend that the current minimum wage fails to meet theÂ
requirements to have a basic quality of life and leaves families reliant onÂ
government programs for additional income. Instead, they call for the institution ofÂ
aÂ
living wage
, or the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their needsÂ
that are considered to be basic with respect to geographic location. They argue thatÂ
with a living wage an individual can take pride in their work and enjoy the decencyÂ
of a life beyond the ditch of poverty wages. Since a living wage is a completeÂ
consideration of the cost of living in an area, it fluctuates according to where youÂ
live and the size of your family [you can find a living wage calculator atÂ
].Â
Opponents say a higher minimum wage will hurt jobs. Their argument is thatÂ
employers will hire fewer people or reduce their hours to maintain lower operatingÂ
costs. They may compensate for the extra expense in other ways that can hurtÂ
consumers, such as by raising prices. Instead, many argue that wages should beÂ
dictated by the free market, whatever a worker is worth, rather than by anyÂ
government-imposed limits.Â