Increase in Fed Minimum Wage
Paul in Cannon Beach
4,703 Posts
Well, it looks like Ray will finally get a raise. Anybody else affected?
The current rate of $5.15 will go to $7.25 over the next two years.
In Oregon, minimum wage is $7.80 so it wont have much impact on most employers here. Most jobs pay more anyways as there is a great demand for service labor. Housekeepers, for example, are starting at $11.50.
The current rate of $5.15 will go to $7.25 over the next two years.
In Oregon, minimum wage is $7.80 so it wont have much impact on most employers here. Most jobs pay more anyways as there is a great demand for service labor. Housekeepers, for example, are starting at $11.50.
Comments
The irony of course is that this will hurt the lowest wage earners as employers cut positions to deal with the increase in labor positions.
I think the biggest negative impact is on younger workers who are unskilled. Those jobs will be cut first.
To me, the minimum wage has always been just that: a MINIMUM. I dont know where the idea got started that a family of four should be able to get by on the minimum wage.
Its a starter wage for unskilled workers and high turnover service jobs.
A retail manager system of controls is 1st and formost the payroll expense. This item is either controlled and within budget or the management team will not last for long. Shrinkage is the next item and it is directly effected by the payroll dollars spent. When "eyeballs" are not covering the retail store/floor, guess what happens, shrinkage just immediately jumps.
It is a matter for the strongest managers to cut shrinkage and payroll at the same time. What happens next is the management chain are tasked to spend more time on the floor because their salary/hours worked is an EXEMPT FLSA item.
Oh I am so glad not to be in the retail "world of work". This minimum wage is going to cause this company to start a higher wage rate or suffer the entrance of the most unskilled worker that can not get a job any where else. We started Jan 1 2005 at $7.00 an hour and we will slowly raise that number as we see the local trend coming up to our standard.
PORK
A girl can dream, can't she? We are very P & L focused. We are a trucking company with 70% of our employees drivers who are paid a commission of the freight they haul, 14% are diesel mechanics, obviously a position well above minimum wage, & 5% are hourly admin employees. Our starting rate for admin has been $7.50 to $8.00 an hour for the last 4-5 years, and at that we are about 20% below the area market for like positions.
Of course, these senators will continue paying their Brazilian housekeepers and nannies under the table so they wont be affected.
More right-wing mumbo jumbo.
>
>To me, the minimum wage has always been just
>that: a MINIMUM. I dont know where the idea got
>started that a family of four should be able to
>get by on the minimum wage.
>
>Its a starter wage for unskilled workers and high turnover service jobs. [/font]
I'd be impressed if someone could raise a family of four on $7.50 an hour.
It's hard enough to support *one* person on the current federal minimum wage, which would explain the impetus for the increase. Since when are unskilled laborers not meant to be able to support themselves? Or a family?
It's not by any means a new concept that there should be some relation between a minimum wage and the ability to get by on that wage. Since the current real value of the minimum wage is the lowest it's been in over 50 years, I don't see why an increase is especially surprising or unreasonable.
Although I don't care to get into a debate on the economics, reasonable minds do differ with respect to how severe the "job loss factor" is, despite what common sense may seem to dictate (and also regarding the amount that any job loss is offset by the benefits of increased minimum wage).
Don't worry though. You will start recieving plenty of e-mails and faxes from companys telling you to buy their compliance posters RIGHT NOW or face jail, beatings, and chinese water torture.
Our lowest paid worker makes at least twice the current minimum, so I didn't pay too much attention to details. I just wanted to know when I had to have a new poster up. July 1st.
Didn't we get an alert from this site? There should be more info around here somewhere.
Nae
Law passed on May 24th, signed by Bush the next day (attached to the controversial bill for funding of our troops in Iraq).
Wage increase in 3 phases, each 70 cents.
Phase 1 is 60 days from time Bush signs law.
Phase 2 one year later.
Phase 3 after one more year.
I am glad to say I work for a place that believes in a living wage, so none of this affects any of our employees.
Nae
I would hate to have to pay their postage bill each month.