Reasonable Minimum Wage Bill (Law'd)

[Bacon King]

Reasonable Minimum Wage Bill

1. A federal minimum wage of $7.25 shall be established by the end of 2009, which shall be increased to $8.50 by the end of 2010.

2. After 2010, the minimum wage shall be indexed to the rate of wage inflation, as measured by the Employment Cost Index (ECI). In periods of wage deflation as measured by the ECI, the minimum wage will be frozen.

3. Any employer found to be paying any of his employees below the minimum wage shall be sentenced to a fine of up to $20,000.

[afleitch]

I'll need to think about this one

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I would prefer $9.50 or better yet $12.50 but that won't pass for sure. This will have to do.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I would prefer $9.50 or better yet $12.50 but that won't pass for sure. This will have to do.

Christ, I may have to reconsider running against you

[Alexander Hamilton]

This bill is awful. Raising the minimum wage during such tough economic times will surely result in job cuts. In turn, prices will go up, making it more difficult for those who aren't at minimum wage but still in a lower income position, will be significantly affected. Demand will surely fall, and on and on.

[Rowan]

I'd consider lower numbers, for example $6.50, increasing to $7.25, but in the present form, I cannot vote for this bill.

[Marokai Backbeat]

I, like NCY, would've preferred a higher wage, but this will have to do.

In any case, this is a necessity. Wages often fall in recessions and many of our wages in the regions are woefully inadequate for reaching a decent enough living (or even living above the poverty line.) Many places, such as Canada, are in the process of raising their minimum wage right now, and this is certainly a policy we need to have.

The raises are very gradual, and it would take over a year or even a year and ahalf for the wage to reach it's final state, so it should have less of an impact on businesses. In order to assure our citizens at least a decent living, and protection from sticky wages, we have to assure our citizens they have a right to a decent living.

As for the idea that wages reduce output and increase unemployment, this may have some hint of truth to it in the short term, but we would benefit in the long run. With all the stimulus money going to benefit individuals and give businesses a break, there's no better time to institute a minimum wage than now.

[tmthforu94]

Especially since I'm a teenager who will be looking for a job soon, I've always been a supporter of a higher minimum wage. A lot of people are having to take minimum wage jobs because they lost their old job. This bill would help those people a lot. And I know this may sound silly, but raising the minimum wage could help more kids go to college. If they're responsible and put money into savings, they'll be able to afford collage. (Granted, it won't help that much, but it will help)

[afleitch]

As for the idea that wages reduce output and increase unemployment, this may have some hint of truth to it in the short term, but we would benefit in the long run. With all the stimulus money going to benefit individuals and give businesses a break, there's no better time to institute a minimum wage than now.

It may, therefore be better not to introduce rises incrementally, The cost in adjusting, monitoring and taxing appropriately wages every 4 months would have to be met by the state and by each business. I can understand why (as it makes it cheaper during the downturn, to introduce) but it's staggered over some 20 months. It may be better to simply stagger it over say 18 or 24 months but in two increments, rather than 5.

[Alexander Hamilton]

Especially since I'm a teenager who will be looking for a job soon, I've always been a supporter of a higher minimum wage. A lot of people are having to take minimum wage jobs because they lost their old job. This bill would help those people a lot. And I know this may sound silly, but raising the minimum wage could help more kids go to college. If they're responsible and put money into savings, they'll be able to afford collage. (Granted, it won't help that much, but it will help)

No. College students would be more affected by higher prices for products they consume, namely food items but also basic things like laundry and haircuts. Not all entry-level jobs are minimum wage, just unskilled ones. Likely a teenager will be making a couple dollars more than minimum wage. That is, for those of us who actually HAVE jobs.

[Marokai Backbeat]

As for the idea that wages reduce output and increase unemployment, this may have some hint of truth to it in the short term, but we would benefit in the long run. With all the stimulus money going to benefit individuals and give businesses a break, there's no better time to institute a minimum wage than now.

It may, therefore be better not to introduce rises incrementally, The cost in adjusting, monitoring and taxing appropriately wages every 4 months would have to be met by the state and by each business. I can understand why (as it makes it cheaper during the downturn, to introduce) but it's staggered over some 20 months. It may be better to simply stagger it over say 18 or 24 months but in two increments, rather than 5.

Introduce an amendment if you like

[afleitch]

As for the idea that wages reduce output and increase unemployment, this may have some hint of truth to it in the short term, but we would benefit in the long run. With all the stimulus money going to benefit individuals and give businesses a break, there's no better time to institute a minimum wage than now.

It may, therefore be better not to introduce rises incrementally, The cost in adjusting, monitoring and taxing appropriately wages every 4 months would have to be met by the state and by each business. I can understand why (as it makes it cheaper during the downturn, to introduce) but it's staggered over some 20 months. It may be better to simply stagger it over say 18 or 24 months but in two increments, rather than 5.

Introduce an amendment if you like

I'm still haggling over the money before I look at the math

[Vepres]

Clause 4 could be abused in certain cases, perhaps a lower penalty.

[Purple State]

There should be some sort of exclusionary clause for piece-rate places and other non-wage industries.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Clause 4 could be abused in certain cases, perhaps a lower penalty.

I take breaking wage laws very very seriously. You're essentially robbing someone of the ability to live their life, as such I think this penalty is just fine, perhaps even too kind.

Besides, there's alot of wage law breaches that go on in America today, and it's because of a lack of serious penalties or enforcement. We need to guard against such things.

[Lief 🗽]

I would prefer $9.50 or better yet $12.50 but that won't pass for sure. This will have to do.

I would also support enacting a living wage, but I don't think that that could pass the Senate. I would happily sign such a bill though.

[Vepres]

Clause 4 could be abused in certain cases, perhaps a lower penalty.

I take breaking wage laws very very seriously. You're essentially robbing someone of the ability to live their life, as such I think this penalty is just fine, perhaps even too kind.

Besides, there's alot of wage law breaches that go on in America today, and it's because of a lack of serious penalties or enforcement. We need to guard against such things.

I understand your concerns, but is five-year jail time really necessary for one or two workers getting low wages? There should be a clause that limits the penalty for small offenders. However, much higher penalties should be given to large corporations.

Also, you may want to further increase the penalties if the workers with low wages are illegal aliens.

[MaxQue]

There should be some sort of exclusionary clause for piece-rate places and other non-wage industries.

Well, for sure.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Instead of trying to implement several different clauses for each type of earning, why not just specify that this applies to hourly wage earners or something like that?

[MaxQue]

Yes

[Fritz]

This is a good bill.  We need to ensure that the working class is being paid enough to reasonably live on.  I support this 100%.

[Franzl]

Tend to support.

[Rowan]

This is a good bill.  We need to ensure that the working class is being paid enough to reasonably live on.  I support this 100%.

But we also need to protect small businesses that may not be able to afford these types of hourly wages in such dire economic times.

[Franzl]

This is a good bill.  We need to ensure that the working class is being paid enough to reasonably live on.  I support this 100%.

But we also need to protect small businesses that may not be able to afford these types of hourly wages in such dire economic times.

Yes, I agree with that, which is also why a small tax cut on small business might also be in order.

[Alexander Hamilton]

This is a good bill.  We need to ensure that the working class is being paid enough to reasonably live on.  I support this 100%.

But we also need to protect small businesses that may not be able to afford these types of hourly wages in such dire economic times.

Yes, I agree with that, which is also why a small tax cut on small business might also be in order.

We don't have the capacity to do that. Otherwise we could bypass the whole issue regarding small businesses and cut taxes for the lowest incomes like afleitch attempted (which most of us didn't support, and I still won't).