-
Just Getting By?: Income Dependence on Minimum Wage Jobs
March 2011 · Dr. Bradley R. Schiller-University of Nevada, Reno ·
Increases in the minimum wage remain popular with legislators and the public in part due to misconceptions about who earns the minimum. The most popular and seemingly persuasive argument for minimum wage hikes is that adult minimum wage workers can’t afford to maintain their families at those wage levels. Census Bureau data confirm that approximately 40 percent of the beneficiaries of the most recent federal minimum wage… -
Is There an Economic Consensus in Favor of Wage Mandates?
January 2011 · Employment Policies Institute ·
In debates over whether to raise the minimum wage, proponents often try to boost their credibility by referencing a group of 15 prominent economists who support a minimum wage increase, as well as approximately 650 additional economists in agreement. This list, first compiled and released by the Economic Policy Institute (a labor-backed organization), is still cited frequently to counter the claims of labor economists who argue that… -
Failed Stimulus: Minimum Wage Increases and Their Failure to Boost Gross Domestic Product
December 2010 · Dr. Joseph J. Sabia - United States Military Academy at West Point ·
-
The Erosion of the Entry-Level Job Market: Minimum Wage Increases and their Impact on Minimum Wage Workers
August 2010 · Nicole Coomer - Workers Compensation Research Institute, Walter Wessels - North Carolina State University ·
Economic research has extensively documented that teen jobs are lost as an unintended consequence of a higher minimum wage. When labor costs increase due to a wage hike, employers who have to pay this new higher wage to train low-skilled, minimum wage workers find a way to do more with less. That might mean reductions in customer service or an increased reliance on automation. But not all… -
The Teen Employment Crisis: The Effects of the 2007 – 2009 Federal Minimum Wage Increases on Teen Employment
July 2010 · William E. Even - Miami University; David A. Macpherson - Trinity University ·
On May 24, 2007, Congress passed legislation to increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi captured the general mood in Washington when she exclaimed that “millions of hardworking Americans will be getting a raise.” The public was also supportive, with polls showing broad approval of Congress’ efforts to raise the minimum wage. This enthusiasm was not universal. Labor economists… -
Literacy and the Entry-Level Workforce: The Role of Literacy and Policy in Labor Market Success
June 2010 · William C. Wood - James Madison University ·
The 2008–09 economic recession, our country’s worst since the Great Depression, did not impact all Americans equally. While unemployment for the nation peaked at 10.1 percent, it was considerably higher for specific demographics. For instance, adults with less than a high school diploma had a 15 percent unemployment rate, and teenage unemployment rose above 27 percent. Across the board, those who were less skilled or less experienced…