Sunday, January 26, 2014

Minimum Wage.


(the following article appeared in Chron)

A minimum wage is a prescribed wage level that must be met or exceeded by employers in all employment contracts, as set forth in the Fair Labor Standards Act. The minimum wage is revised from time to time to adjust for inflating prices. Microeconomics is the study of financial issues from the perspective of individual economic units, such as a single household, small business or individual. The minimum wage has a number of positive and negative effects on businesses, families and individual workers, from a microeconomics perspective.

Effects on Business

Businesses that rely to a large extent on unskilled labor generally experience dramatic increases in wage expenses as a result of a minimum wage, since a minimum wage virtually eliminates companies' ability to negotiate wages for their lowest-level employees. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the minimum wage increased about twenty four percent between 2007 and 2009, going from $5.85 to $7.25 per hour. Businesses that employ unskilled labor see their profit margins diminish and their expenses increase, presenting a challenge to their economic growth and introducing a new variable to economic decision-making.

Local Employment

Many companies see the minimum wage as a large expense for an unskilled worker, which can cause them to impose stricter decision criteria for hiring or cut back on hiring altogether. Minimum wage jobs are often suited for young people entering the workforce for the first time, but, according to the Employment Policy Institute, every 10 percent increase in the minimum wage causes a five to nine percent decrease in youth employment. This can cause a situation where individuals with little experience who might happily accept a lower wage find themselves unable to find a job. If this trend continues in specific regions, local unemployment could rise, possibly raising homelessness and crime rates as well.

Effects on Individuals

Employees experience direct benefits from a minimum wage, but there are a number of drawbacks to consider as well. The obvious benefit to unskilled workers is the guaranteed boost in discretionary income provided by a guaranteed wage. Highly skilled and experienced workers experience a boost in income as well, since a raise in the lowest wage pushes all other wages upward as well. It can be argued that the minimum wage has never been high enough to fully support a family. According to the U.S. Census, only around seventeen percent of minimum wage earners are supporting families on their own. The effects of business's reactions to the minimum wage can be detrimental to employees in the long run as well. Companies may turn to automation or outsourcing to control the increase in wage expenses. This could reduce the number of jobs available in the marketplace for unskilled workers, again resulting in higher unemployment. Younger employees can benefit greatly from the minimum wage. Employees entering the workforce for the first time, with no experience, can count on the minimum wage to provide them the income they need to handle their first expenses. This, in turn, allows heads-of-household more discretionary income to spend on family needs.