Clemson University Federal Minimum Wage in Governments Discussion Paper
Federal Minimum Wage
The minimum wage topic is an economic, political and a social issue in the United States.
The United States House of Representatives has recently approved a new minimum wage law putting the level of the minimum wage at $15/hour by 2025. (The current federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour)
It is doubtful the Senate will pass this bill.
Meanwhile several cities, municipalities, states, etc. have enacted higher minimum wages while the federal minimum wage has been stagnant since 2009.
Some of this information is available on the Canvas page for Week 7.
Also on the Week 7 Canvas page are several links to articles and opinion pieces regarding the minimum wage.
Objective for this assignment –
Understand the current status of the federal minimum wage
Do thorough research and discover hard data about the federal minimum wage. Consider – who works for the minimum wage, how many heads of households work for the minimum wage, how many minimum wage earners are teenagers/students or others who have the minimum wage position as a part time job…. etc.?
The question for this assignment –
Should the federal minimum wage be raised?
Prepare your response in three parts –
Part 1 – Based on your research, explain why the minimum wage should not be raised from the current level.
Part 2 – Based on your research explain why the minimum wage should be raised from the current level and include what the minimum wage should be.
Part 3 – Summarize your personal opinion about whether the minimum wage should or should not be raised.
