There are a plethora of people who occupy such low-income positions as waiters, housecleaners, nannies, and so on. These individuals receive minimum wages that should cover their primary needs (food, utilities, and clothing). If the government considers raising the paychecks of citizens who work at low-income jobs, the quality of their lives might increase and will help them cope with certain financial difficulties. The following paper will discuss the benefits of increasing the minimum wage in the USA.
Discussion
Many people in the United States of America cannot find a well-paid job without a higher education degree. Therefore, they are forced to work at fast-food restaurants, supermarkets, and other similar facilities that provide their employees with minimum wages (Belman and Wolfson 38). It appears that the sum that personnel members receive is not enough for living a good life with all the conveniences. If the government considers raising their paychecks, the workers mentioned above will be able to afford groceries of higher quality, more comfortable clothes, means of transport, and so on.
It is essential to address the problem of the minimum wage as this source of income is supposed to cover only the vital expenses of an average worker. However, people who work in low-income jobs cannot afford any extra expenses (Card and Krueger 106). For instance, individuals who work as waiters in restaurants are either college students or mothers who do not have any opportunities to work for prestigious companies but need to feed and support their children. Raising the minimum wage would help these parents pay for kindergartens, food supplies for their families, medical services, and other necessary consumables (Hirsch et al. 209). Moreover, higher incomes will allow the lower class to live in better houses or apartments as some of these people rent rooms or other types of dwellings in dangerous or polluted districts of their cities.
If the minimum wage is raised, many people will become healthier, whereas the country’s longevity rate might increase in several decades. Low-income workers will be consuming fresh and nutritious products, may be given a chance to travel to other states to cope with their stresses and daily routine, and might breathe a fresher air as their environment is usually polluted (Macurdy 513). Some people are obliged to work overtime and forget about their rights for days-off and vacations. Therefore, if their wages increase, low-income workers will have a better rest and might have less stress. The benefits mentioned above are essential for modern society as the American population is divided into social status classes. Unfortunately, many minimum wage employees are often humiliated and do not feel confident in public.
Fight for Fifteen
There is a popular movement that is called “Fight for Fifteen”. Its participants organize various protest meetings and demonstrations to convince the American government to raise the minimum wage in the country’s territory up to fifteen dollars per hour. Many small businesses support the idea mentioned above and pay their workers more than the national law obligates them (Meer and West 521). The movement is supported by people who have well-paid jobs but want others to have worthy lives as well.
Conclusion
Nowadays, many people work for the minimum wage (restaurants, supermarkets, and other similar facilities). If the government raises their paychecks, these people will become healthier, happier, and they may not be burdened with the need to cover their primary expenses. Increasing people’s wages will provide them with better living conditions and might make their lives more convenient than they are now.
Works Cited
Belman, Dale, and Paul Wolfson. What Does the Minimum Wage Do? W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, 2014.
Card, David Edward, and Alan B. Krueger. Myth and Measurement: The New Economics of the Minimum Wage. Princeton University Press, 2016.
Hirsch, Barry T., et al. “Minimum Wage Channels of Adjustment.” A Journal of Economy and Society, vol. 54, no. 2, 2015, pp. 199–239.
Macurdy, Thomas. “How Effective Is the Minimum Wage at Supporting the Poor?” Journal of Political Economy, vol. 123, no. 2, 2015, pp. 497–545.
Meer, Jonathan, and Jeremy West. “Effects of the Minimum Wage on Employment Dynamics.” Journal of Human Resources, vol. 51, no. 2, 2015, pp. 500–522.