Minimum Wage Report
Minimum wage has helped shape our economy and nation as it is today. In the United States, we have two different types of minimum wage, federal and state. But what is minimum wage? “Minimum wage is the lowest hourly rate at which most employers may legally pay their workers” (“Federal Minimum Wage”). The federal minimum wage is the government’s minimum wage, but each state also has their own minimum wage. “The first federal minimum wage was legislated to boost wages to ease the hardship of workers and increase the consumer purchasing power needed for job creation and economic recovery” (Berlatsky 79). One of the most controversial issues in today’s world is if the minimum wage should be raised or not. One of the lesser known issues is
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In 2016, roughly 2,561,000 workers in the United States earned exactly the federal minimum wage or less (Minimum Wage-ProCon.org). According to Paul Krugman, a commentator for the New York Times, “Since the 1960’s work productivity has doubled” (qtd. In “Federal Minimum Wage”). About 4.4% of the workers in the United States earn exactly the minimum wage. Roughly thirty-seven percent of the workers who earn exactly the federal minimum wage are either African American of Hispanic (Berlatsky 23). Approximately sixty percent of women make up the workforce that make exactly the federal minimum wage. In 2005, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that fifty-three percent of the workers who earned the minimum wage were under the age of twenty-five (Berlatsky 85). Out of the people that earn the minimum wage, forty-five percent of them are between the age of sixteen and twenty-four. On the other hand, fifty-five percent of the people that earn the minimum wage are older than twenty-five. Teenagers make up twenty-four percent of the workforce that earn the minimum wage (Minimum Wage-ProCon.org). Fourteen percent of people who didn't make it through high school ended up earned exactly the minimum wage. Only three percent of people who got an education past high school ended up earning exactly the minimum wage (Berlatsky 163). “Almost half of minimum wage workers are in families that earn under thirty-five thousand dollars a year” (Berlatsky
In 2016, roughly 2,561,000 workers in the United States earned exactly the federal minimum wage or less (Minimum Wage-ProCon.org). According to Paul Krugman, a commentator for the New York Times, “Since the 1960’s work productivity has doubled” (qtd. In “Federal Minimum Wage”). About 4.4% of the workers in the United States earn exactly the minimum wage. Roughly thirty-seven percent of the workers who earn exactly the federal minimum wage are either African American of Hispanic (Berlatsky 23). Approximately sixty percent of women make up the workforce that make exactly the federal minimum wage. In 2005, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that fifty-three percent of the workers who earned the minimum wage were under the age of twenty-five (Berlatsky 85). Out of the people that earn the minimum wage, forty-five percent of them are between the age of sixteen and twenty-four. On the other hand, fifty-five percent of the people that earn the minimum wage are older than twenty-five. Teenagers make up twenty-four percent of the workforce that earn the minimum wage (Minimum Wage-ProCon.org). Fourteen percent of people who didn't make it through high school ended up earned exactly the minimum wage. Only three percent of people who got an education past high school ended up earning exactly the minimum wage (Berlatsky 163). “Almost half of minimum wage workers are in families that earn under thirty-five thousand dollars a year” (Berlatsky