2008 Woodie Awards
Minimum Wage Hike Leads to Problems
Kyle Wiese
Issue date: 7/5/07 Section: Editorial
After the news that minimum wage will increase from $6.50 an hour to $7.50 an hour, many teenagers throughout the state of Illinois will rejoice.
Hard work in a job with bad pay will finally pay off a little bit more. Businesses will be forced to reach into their pockets and pony up a little more dough.
Teenagers through college students are going to be most affected by the increase, but it does not come without its problems.
Some businesses will not be able to afford to pay as many people to work, which means that some jobs could be lost.
With the rising cost of many products, such as gasoline and milk, an increase in the minimum wage is not only welcome, it is necessary.
An ugly fact of life is that with the rising cost of living, pay increases may not always follow to balance out the problem.
Fortunately for Illinois residents, the new minimum wage also comes with legislation that calls for a three-year minimum wage increase.
The plan calls for a rise of 25 cents each year to $7.75 in July 2008, $8.00 in July 2009, and finally $8.25 in July 2010.
This could mean that it will also be a little more difficult for teens and college students to find jobs, especially those students that look for work just during the summer while they are not at school.
Companies will not have as many positions available because they will have to pay employees more money.
The effect of minimum wage is more pronounced in the cases of young adults than it is for regular adults, because according to government research, most adults that earn minimum wage work two jobs or have a spouse that also has a job.
This has been a change that has long been necessary for those employees that work minimum wage jobs. It may also help to take away some of the burden from parents that have to work those jobs to support their families.
Hard work in a job with bad pay will finally pay off a little bit more. Businesses will be forced to reach into their pockets and pony up a little more dough.
Teenagers through college students are going to be most affected by the increase, but it does not come without its problems.
Some businesses will not be able to afford to pay as many people to work, which means that some jobs could be lost.
With the rising cost of many products, such as gasoline and milk, an increase in the minimum wage is not only welcome, it is necessary.
An ugly fact of life is that with the rising cost of living, pay increases may not always follow to balance out the problem.
Fortunately for Illinois residents, the new minimum wage also comes with legislation that calls for a three-year minimum wage increase.
The plan calls for a rise of 25 cents each year to $7.75 in July 2008, $8.00 in July 2009, and finally $8.25 in July 2010.
This could mean that it will also be a little more difficult for teens and college students to find jobs, especially those students that look for work just during the summer while they are not at school.
Companies will not have as many positions available because they will have to pay employees more money.
The effect of minimum wage is more pronounced in the cases of young adults than it is for regular adults, because according to government research, most adults that earn minimum wage work two jobs or have a spouse that also has a job.
This has been a change that has long been necessary for those employees that work minimum wage jobs. It may also help to take away some of the burden from parents that have to work those jobs to support their families.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
martha burnett
posted 7/08/07 @ 5:32 PM CST
Insightful. Thoughtful article. Key truth in article is...'This has been a change that has long been necessary for those employees that work miinimum wage jobs. (Continued…)
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