Minimum Wage Can You Make a Decent Living on It Essay

Research Paper: Minimum Wage Minimum wage has become a major part of the conversation on labor. The base hourly rate in this country is something that has been raised to $7.25 federally and can become as high as $9 in some states. This is important social policy because it deals with the distribution of wealth particularly with lower class workers. Part of the discussion about minimum wage is whether or not someone can make a decent living on it. Talks of subsidization and supplementation have always surrounded minimum wage talks. The idea is to make sure that on a full-time schedule at minimum wage, someone can afford housing, food, and clothing. With those things taken into account, lawmakers have debated whether or not to raise†¦show more content†¦Since minimum wage laws were passed, they have been revisited and adapted to the times. In 1947, the Fair Labor Standards Act was amended by the Portal-to-Portal act. This helped define what makes a work hour in addition to touching upon other matters suc h as underground travel in coal mines (USDOL). In 1949, FLSA was amended to include air traffic workers as they had increased in numbers. Also, the minimum wage was raised by 35 cents up to 75 cents and by 1955 the minimum wage was up to $1. In 1961, the retail trade industry was covered by a FLSA amendment and in 1963 the minimum wage reached $1.25. The amendment covered anyone working for a retail company that made over $1 million annually (USDOL). In 1974, congress included government employees as covered by minimum wage laws. After that, the minimum wage steadily increased reaching $2.30 in 1976 (USDOL). The minimum wage continued steadily rising where it reached $3.35 in 1981. Fast forward to 1989 and major changes were added to the FLSA. Small retail businesses were no longer exempt from overtime and minimum wage. Although these businesses generate less revenue, they now were forced to pay the minimum wage making them viable job options for someone looking to make a decent liv ing whereas before, there was no guarantee that the owner would pay a fair wage since he was not subject to minimum wage laws under the FLSA. As the years went on the minimum wage continually roseShow MoreRelatedTips For Employees Benefits From The Taking Working Shifts854 Words   |  4 Pagesrealize the service was superb. The advantages from working hard can encourage the employee keep on making services excellent and hope that the extra bills are present. Tipping should be a choice for those who voluntarily would give a helping hand for the employees hard work in seductive ways of practical services, living on the decent amount of wages, and the incentive to be entrepreneurial. 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If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise.† –President Obama, State of the Union address, Jan. 20, 2014 In the 2014 State of the Union address, President Obama called on Congress to raise the national minimum wage fromRead MoreAnalysis Of The Bean Trees1116 Words   |  5 PagesThe gap between the average living wage for a single adult, and the federal minimum wage is almost ten dollars. The result of which is a poor quality of life for Americans working minimum wage jobs. Often times the job flipping burgers at Mc Dicks is the only job someone can get, leaving them stuck in a loop. One of the characters that appear in Barbara Kingsolver’s, â€Å"The Bean Trees†, is Sandi, a single mother working for low pay at â€Å"Burger Derby†. She finds herself struggling to keep up, using unusual