why is the federal minimum wage periodically raised by congress? course hero

by Donnie Corwin 9 min read

As Congress heads back into session, one of the first orders of business should be to raise the minimum wage. Raising the minimum wage strengthens workers' purchasing power and, in turn, provides a boost to the overall economy. Raising the minimum wage would also help close the racial wealth gap, which is at historic levels.

On May 24, 2007, Congress passed a bill raising the federal minimum wage to $7.25 in three phases over two years. The federal minimum wage was established in 1938 by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Initially set at 25 cents an hour, the wage has been raised periodically to reflect changes in inflation and productivity.Jan 5, 2007

Full Answer

What is the point of raising the minimum wage?

The federal minimum wage in 2020 is $7.25 per hour and has not increased since July 2009. Some employees are exempt from federal minimum wage requirements, such as those who are not protected by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Tipped employees such as restaurant servers, for example, can be paid at a lower rate than minimum wage.

When was the last time the federal government raised the minimum wage?

Feb 09, 2017 · Minimum Wage - Dear Congressman The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour however some states have a higher minimum wage rate When the state. ... Course Title ENGLISH 10; Uploaded By devinhudson03. Pages 1 Ratings 100% (2) 2 out of 2 people found this document helpful; This preview shows page 1 out of 1 page. ...

What is the minimum wage in the United States?

Apr 03, 2017 · A bonus for the government, raising the minimum wage they can get more people off welfare. More people making a living on their own, this has to be good for the economy. Raising minimum wage benefits everyone involved; the government, the economy, and the families. References 6.

Is the minimum wage pushing millions of Americans to extreme poverty?

Jun 30, 2020 · According to economic estimates, raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour will reduce the poverty rate for non-elderly Americans to 15.8 percent by 2016 from current 17.5 percent levels. This increase would bring about 6.8 million people out of poverty.”(- inequality-and-economic-growth/ ) By raising the minimum wage, you are effectively taking many working …

Why is the federal minimum wage periodically raised by Congress?

In theory, Congress makes periodic amendments to the FLSA, increasing the federal minimum wage so that even the lowest-paid jobs in the economy still pay enough for workers to meet their needs, and helping ensure that low-wage workers benefit from economywide improvements in productivity, wages, and living standards.Feb 5, 2019

Why do governments set minimum wage?

Federal governments use minimum wage laws to ensure a basic quality of life among all citizens within its borders. These laws attempt to improve an individual's position in the economic income brackets. Rather than have copious amounts of underpaid or poor citizens, minimum wage laws seek a level of economic equality.

WHO raises the federal minimum wage?

It's been 12 years since the last federal minimum wage increase, and whether a hike in minimum pay will get passed by Congress or not is still a question. The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour. That pay raise was approved by Congress in 2007, which gradually kicked it up to the present number in 2009.Jul 16, 2021

What happens when government increases minimum wage?

A boost to economic growth is another potential advantage of increasing the minimum wage, as consumer spending typically increases along with wages. A higher minimum wage would put more discretionary dollars in the pockets of millions of workers; money that would then flow to retailers and other businesses.

Why should the federal minimum wage not be raised?

Some policymakers are proposing to raise the minimum wage, but that policy would be harmful. Research shows businesses would respond to the increased costs by reducing employment, particularly for low-skilled workers. Some businesses may pass the higher costs on to consumers.

Why should we raise the minimum wage?

Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour would improve the overall standard of living for minimum wage workers. These workers would more easily afford their monthly expenses, such as rent, car payments, and other household expenses.Mar 31, 2021

Did federal minimum wage increase?

Federal HR agency issues guidance to officially implement a $15 minimum wage for US federal employees, impacting workers in every state. WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that federal civilian employees in the U.S. will now be paid at least $15 per hour.Jan 21, 2022

Has federal minimum wage been raised?

And at the federal level, an executive order increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour for federal contractors was enacted in the beginning of the Biden administration's tenure in 2020.Dec 23, 2021

Does minimum wage automatically increase as inflation or prices of goods increase?

Does minimum wage automatically increase as inflation or prices of goods increase? No. An amendment to the FLSA is needed to raise the minimum wage.

How does raising the minimum wage help the economy?

Enhance healthcare. Researchers have established that raising the minimum wage will bring numerous health benefits to many Americans. Increase in minimum wage will make it easier for workers as well as their families to afford medical care and healthcare insurance as well as living in a face environment.

Why are Americans seconding the minimum wage?

Majority of Americans are seconding the raise of minimum wage due to hardship they are facing in their workforce. After ten good years of working hard low-wage employees deserve something good to elevate them as well as their families from poverty.

What is the impact of minimum wage on low skilled workers?

Besides, when the socio-economic status has been increased, it will reduce the enormous gap between the low-income earners and the high-income earners.

What happens when the minimum wage is raised?

When minimum wage has been raised, the expenditure of the consumer will also increase; hence the economy will be boosted as well. A research carried out by Doug Hall and David Cooper estimated that when the minimum wage is slightly increased by $2.55 the low-wage earning employee will increase by $40 billion, thus the GDP, as well as employment, ...

Why is the minimum wage $7.25 an hour?

Workers receive whichever is higher is more significant on the local or federal minimum wage. The main reason for the minimum wage is to protect employees from exploitation from their employers.

Which country has the best minimum wage?

Moreover, there is no massive employment opportunity in countries like Australia as well as France, which has the best minimum wage, compared to the United States, which has poor minimum wage rates.

Does raising wages reduce smoking?

Some researches claims that increase in minim wage will reduce cigarette use and reduce the rate of obesity which shows that affordability is not the elements. Raising wages will lead to job satisfaction and researchers say that higher job satisfaction improves workers health since they will be cover under safety and risk management. ...

How many people would benefit from raising the minimum wage to $15/hr?

A 2019 Oxfam report shows that raising the minimum wage to $15/hr would benefit 40 million workers and their families. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/UIG via Getty Images)

Why is raising the minimum wage important?

Here are six simple reasons why raising the minimum wage makes sense. 1. It is long overdue. Since it was last raised in 2009, the minimum wage has failed to keep up with inflation, failed to keep up with average wages, and—most dramatically—failed to keep up with incomes of the top 1 percent and CEOs, contributing to America’s growing inequality ...

How much does a CEO make in 2019?

The average CEO at one of the top 350 firms in the US made $21.3 million in 2019, 320 times as much as the typical worker; a minimum wage worker still makes $15,080: a gap of 1,400 to 1. 2.

What percentage of small businesses support $15 an hour?

In one recent poll, 67 percent of small business owners support the minimum wage increase to $15 an hour. They say it would spark consumer demand, which would enable them to retain or hire new employees. And raising the wage doesn’t seem to compel employers to cut jobs.

How much money would be pumped back into the economy?

The roughly $120 billion extra paid to workers would be pumped back into the economy for necessities such as rent, food, and clothes. Economists have long recognized that boosting purchasing power by putting money in people’s pockets for consumer spending has positive ripple effects on the entire economy.

What would happen if wages increased faster than CBO?

If wages grow faster than CBO projects, then wages in future years will be higher than CBO anticipates , and increases in the federal minimum wage would have smaller effects. If wages grow more slowly than CBO projects, the effects would be larger.

How would increasing the minimum wage affect family income?

How would increasing the minimum wage affect family income? By boosting the income of low-wage workers who had jobs, a higher minimum wage would raise their families’ real income, lifting some of those families out of poverty. However, income would fall for some families because other workers would not be employed and because business owners would have to absorb at least some of the higher costs of labor. For those reasons, a minimum-wage increase would cause a net reduction in average family income.

What is direct affected workers?

Directly affected workers. Workers whose wages would otherwise be between the previously applicable minimum (state or federal) and the proposed minimum and who would either be jobless or see increases in their earnings in an average week.

What would happen if the minimum wage was raised?

As a result, some employers would employ fewer workers than they would have under a lower minimum wage. However, for certain workers or in certain circumstances, employment could increase.

How would a higher minimum wage help the poor?

By boosting the income of low-wage workers with jobs, a higher minimum wage would lift some families’ income above the poverty threshold and thereby reduce the number of people in poverty. But low-wage workers who lost employment would see their earnings decrease, and in some cases their family income would fall below the poverty threshold.

When will the minimum wage be $15?

Raise the minimum wage to $ 15 by 2026 and gradually raise the tipped cash minimum to be the same as the regular minimum. Thereafter, index both wages to the median wage. Eliminate the subminimums for teenagers and disabled workers.

What does the CBO use to determine the distribution of poverty?

CBO projected the distribution of poverty in future years using the same methods it used to project the distribution of family income, apply ing the same definitions of income and poverty thresholds that the Census Bureau uses to determine the official poverty rate.