HB 18-3: Federal Minimum Wage Policy Act (Passed)

[Fmr. Representative Encke]

What is the present minimum wage?

Currently it's 10 dollars.
https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/A_Real_Living_Wage_Act

[Terry the Fat Shark]

I propose this amendment (raises to 12 instead of 15)

Federal Minimum Wage Policy Act

To set a higher minimum wage for all employees.

Section 1. Short title

This Act shall be cited as the “Federal Minimum Wage Policy Act”.

Section 2. Setting a Higher Minimum Wage

(a) In general. -

29 U.S.C § 206(a)(1) is amended to read as follows:

(1) except as otherwise provided in this section, not less than $12.00 an hour, effective October 1, 2019;

(b) Eliminating lower minimum wage for newly hired employees who are less than 20 years old. -

29 U.S.C § 206 is amended by striking subsection(g).

(c) Minimum wage for learners, apprentices, and messengers under special certificates. -

29 U.S.C § 214(a) shall be amended to read as follows:

The Secretary, to the extent necessary in order to prevent curtailment of opportunities for employment, shall by regulations or by orders provide for the employment of learners, of apprentices, and of messengers employed primarily in delivering letters and messages, under special certificates issued pursuant to regulations of the Secretary, at such wages lower than the minimum wage applicable under section 206 of this title, which shall be not less than 85 per centum of the otherwise applicable wage rate in effect under section 206 of this title, and subject to such limitations as to time, number, proportion, and length of service as the Secretary shall prescribe.

(d) Minimum wage for students under special certificates. -

(1) 29 U.S.C § 214(b)(1)(A) is amended to read as follows:

The Secretary, to the extent necessary in order to prevent curtailment of opportunities for employment, shall by special certificate issued under a regulation or order provide, in accordance with subparagraph (B), for the employment, at a wage rate not less than 85 per centum of the otherwise applicable wage rate in effect under section 206 of this title, of full-time students (regardless of age but in compliance with applicable child labor laws) in retail or service establishments.

(2) 29 U.S.C § 214(b)(2) is amended to read as follows:

The Secretary, to the extent necessary in order to prevent curtailment of opportunities for employment, shall by special certificate issued under a regulation or order provide for the employment, at a wage rate not less than 85 per centum of the otherwise applicable wage rate in effect under section 206 of this title, of full-time students (regardless of age but in compliance with applicable child labor laws) in any occupation in agriculture.

(3) 29 U.S.C § 214(b)(3) is amended to read as follows:

The Secretary, to the extent necessary in order to prevent curtailment of opportunities for employment, shall by special certificate issued under a regulation or order provide for the employment by an institution of higher education, at a wage rate not less than 85 per centum of the otherwise applicable wage rate in effect under section 206 of this title, of full-time students (regardless of age but in compliance with applicable child labor laws) who are enrolled in such institution. The Secretary shall by regulation prescribe standards and requirements to insure that this paragraph will not create a substantial probability of reducing the full-time employment opportunities of persons other than those to whom the minimum wage rate authorized by this paragraph is applicable.

(e) Minimum wage for employees with disabilities under special certificates. -

29 U.S.C § 214(c)(1)(A) is amended to read as follows:

(A) lower than the minimum wage applicable under section 206 of this title, which shall be not less than 85 per centum of the otherwise applicable wage rate in effect under section 206 of this title,

Section 3. Implementation

This Act shall take effect on October 1, 2019.

People's House of Representatives
Pending

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Representatives have 24 hours for objections to the proposed amendment.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

I'm fine with this compromise raising the minimum wage to $12 an hour.

[fhtagn]

Regardless of what the "compromise" is, I still cant support raising the federal minimum wage above it's current level. It's best for the regions to decide because they have a better grasp of what works for the people there.

Contrary to what the left thinks, throwing more money at a problem across the board doesn't actually fix things, especially for poor people. In the end, trying to regulate this more at the federal level will hurt more people than you are trying to help. There is nothing compassionate about this attempt.

[JGibson]

I'm fine with this compromise raising the minimum wage to $12 an hour.

I'd be okay with a federal compromise of $12, with states/regions retaining the right to a higher minimum wage for their respective areas.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Regardless of what the "compromise" is, I still cant support raising the federal minimum wage above it's current level. It's best for the regions to decide because they have a better grasp of what works for the people there.

Contrary to what the left thinks, throwing more money at a problem across the board doesn't actually fix things, especially for poor people. In the end, trying to regulate this more at the federal level will hurt more people than you are trying to help. There is nothing compassionate about this attempt.

Ultimately I think you will be hard pressed to find a place where 10$ a hour can meet all of your needs, especially if you are a mother or father etc, 12$ is a pretty good starting place and then the regions can decide if they want to go higher based on increments or county or what have you.

[fhtagn]

Regardless of what the "compromise" is, I still cant support raising the federal minimum wage above it's current level. It's best for the regions to decide because they have a better grasp of what works for the people there.

Contrary to what the left thinks, throwing more money at a problem across the board doesn't actually fix things, especially for poor people. In the end, trying to regulate this more at the federal level will hurt more people than you are trying to help. There is nothing compassionate about this attempt.

Ultimately I think you will be hard pressed to find a place where 10$ a hour can meet all of your needs, especially if you are a mother or father etc, 12$ is a pretty good starting place and then the regions can decide if they want to go higher based on increments or county or what have you.

There are quite a few places in the South and Midwest where $10/hour does meet people's needs. Many of those places also have quite a few small businesses operating in their communities. What happens when you raise the minimum wage at the federal level, especially at that rate and with just a few months to switch to these pay increases, is those small businesses have to make a choice. They can raise prices, which hurts poor communities because that "extra money" they make doesn't help them if prices go up, or they can save money by either firing people or bumping them down to part time so that they can at least save money by not having to offer benefits.

You may think what you are doing is compassionate, and sure, your heart might be in the right place on this issue. But in reality, all you are doing is hurting the very people you claim you're trying to help.

Raising the minimum wage should never be a federal issue because it's not the best route to go to help these communities. It never has been, and it never will be.

[fhtagn]

I am also curious as to why Jimmy is fine with the amendment that changes it to $12/hour in less than a year when he voted to table a bill that would make it to the same amount in 2 years.

If the last minimum wage bill was too radical for you 3 months ago, how is this not too radical for you now?

I shouldn't have to ask this so many times, but it appears the sponsor has no interest in doing his job.

[fhtagn]

LIVING WAGE ACT OF 2018

SENATE BILL

to provide for fair compensation for working people

Be it enacted by both houses of Congress assembled:

SECTION 1.

1.  This Act may be cited as the “Living Wage Act of 2018”.

SECTION 2.

1. Every employer shall pay to each of their employees a wage not less than $11.00 for every hour of labor rendered.
2. The above shall take effect two months after passage.
3. This minimum wage shall increase by $0.50 on January 1 of each year until it reaches the equivalent of $12.50 in 2018 Atlasian Dollars (indexed to inflation).
4. From this point onwards, it shall be annually indexed to inflation.

On the motion to table, here is how current Representatives voted:

Aye

Aye

Aye.

Aye

NAY

So for those Representatives who voted to table the Living Wage Act of 2018, but are now supporting the Federal Minimum Wage Policy Act, it would really be in your best interest to actually answer why you support a more radical bill when the last one clearly didn't earn your support.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

I have a question for those more in the know: What are the present regional minimum wage values?

[Fmr. Representative Encke]

I have a question for those more in the know: What are the present regional minimum wage values?

This is Fremont's minimum wage bill: https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Rights_of_Working_People_Act. Back in 2016, the minimum wage was $11.00 (courtesy of a bill by 1184AZ); the linked bill superseded it and tied the minimum wage to the living wage in the county of work.

In the South, the minimum wage is determined on a county-by-county basis by an NPC commission:
https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Minimum_Wage_Commission_Act

Lincoln's minimum wage is taken care of in the Lincoln Fair Wages Act of 2018, which has recently been amended here: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=318880.msg6772296#msg6772296. This also leaves the minimum wage in particular areas up to an NPC committee.

All 3 regions seem to have independently come to the same conclusion, that the minimum wage should be related to the cost of living in a particular area, and not set at a flat rate. The regions have already taken care of the minimum wage problem satisfactorily, so there is no reason to try to force a higher minimum wage federally.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

I have a question for those more in the know: What are the present regional minimum wage values?

This is Fremont's minimum wage bill: https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Rights_of_Working_People_Act. Back in 2016, the minimum wage was $11.00 (courtesy of a bill by 1184AZ); the linked bill superseded it and tied the minimum wage to the living wage in the county of work.

In the South, the minimum wage is determined on a county-by-county basis by an NPC commission:
https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Minimum_Wage_Commission_Act

Lincoln's minimum wage is taken care of in the Lincoln Fair Wages Act of 2018, which has recently been amended here: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=318880.msg6772296#msg6772296. This also leaves the minimum wage in particular areas up to an NPC committee.

All 3 regions seem to have independently come to the same conclusion, that the minimum wage should be related to the cost of living in a particular area, and not set at a flat rate.

I do have a few issues with that, I'd like to see what exactly the minimum wage in said areas is, setting it as a "npc committee" and not saying what said wage is kind of seems like kicking the can down the road. I might feel better about this if we could see what those rates were, perhaps the GM department can determine this?

[Fmr. Representative Encke]

I have a question for those more in the know: What are the present regional minimum wage values?

This is Fremont's minimum wage bill: https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Rights_of_Working_People_Act. Back in 2016, the minimum wage was $11.00 (courtesy of a bill by 1184AZ); the linked bill superseded it and tied the minimum wage to the living wage in the county of work.

In the South, the minimum wage is determined on a county-by-county basis by an NPC commission:
https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Minimum_Wage_Commission_Act

Lincoln's minimum wage is taken care of in the Lincoln Fair Wages Act of 2018, which has recently been amended here: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=318880.msg6772296#msg6772296. This also leaves the minimum wage in particular areas up to an NPC committee.

All 3 regions seem to have independently come to the same conclusion, that the minimum wage should be related to the cost of living in a particular area, and not set at a flat rate.

I do have a few issues with that, I'd like to see what exactly the minimum wage in said areas is, setting it as a "npc committee" and not saying what said wage is kind of seems like kicking the can down the road. I might feel better about this if we could see what those rates were, perhaps the GM department can determine this?

In what areas specifically? Do you want the GM department to go county-by-county determining the cost of living?

[Terry the Fat Shark]

I have a question for those more in the know: What are the present regional minimum wage values?

This is Fremont's minimum wage bill: https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Rights_of_Working_People_Act. Back in 2016, the minimum wage was $11.00 (courtesy of a bill by 1184AZ); the linked bill superseded it and tied the minimum wage to the living wage in the county of work.

In the South, the minimum wage is determined on a county-by-county basis by an NPC commission:
https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Minimum_Wage_Commission_Act

Lincoln's minimum wage is taken care of in the Lincoln Fair Wages Act of 2018, which has recently been amended here: https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=318880.msg6772296#msg6772296. This also leaves the minimum wage in particular areas up to an NPC committee.

All 3 regions seem to have independently come to the same conclusion, that the minimum wage should be related to the cost of living in a particular area, and not set at a flat rate.

I do have a few issues with that, I'd like to see what exactly the minimum wage in said areas is, setting it as a "npc committee" and not saying what said wage is kind of seems like kicking the can down the road. I might feel better about this if we could see what those rates were, perhaps the GM department can determine this?

In what areas specifically? Do you want the GM department to go county-by-county determining the cost of living?

Yes

[Fmr. Representative Encke]

DFW, use this living wage calculator: http://livingwage.mit.edu/
Lots of counties have living wages below 12 dollars an hour. Also, the calculator takes healthcare into account, so the living wage in Atlasia would be lower than specified here because of the AtlasCare subsidy.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

DFW, use this living wage calculator: http://livingwage.mit.edu/
Lots of counties have living wages below 12 dollars an hour. Also, the calculator takes healthcare into account, so the living wage in Atlasia would be lower than specified here because of the AtlasCare subsidy.

The living wage in some rural areas for 1 person is below 12 dollars sure, but I wonder what % of people on minimum wage are running solo?

[Fmr. Representative Encke]

DFW, use this living wage calculator: http://livingwage.mit.edu/
Lots of counties have living wages below 12 dollars an hour. Also, the calculator takes healthcare into account, so the living wage in Atlasia would be lower than specified here because of the AtlasCare subsidy.

The living wage in some rural areas for 1 person is below 12 dollars sure, but I wonder what % of people on minimum wage are running solo?

According to BLS's 'Characteristics of minimum wage workers, 2017' report, 72.3% of individuals earning the minimum wage have never been married. 18.3% are married with a spouse, and 9.3% are widowed, divorced, or separated. Unfortunately no statistics on families with children are given.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

DFW, use this living wage calculator: http://livingwage.mit.edu/
Lots of counties have living wages below 12 dollars an hour. Also, the calculator takes healthcare into account, so the living wage in Atlasia would be lower than specified here because of the AtlasCare subsidy.

The living wage in some rural areas for 1 person is below 12 dollars sure, but I wonder what % of people on minimum wage are running solo?

According to BLS's 'Characteristics of minimum wage workers, 2017' report, 72.3% of individuals earning the minimum wage have never been married. 18.3% are married with a spouse, and 9.3% are widowed, divorced, or separated. Unfortunately no statistics on families with children are given.

Yes I imagine those married would generally not have minimum wage jobs or need to for one reason or another, the children statistics probably drastically reduces that 72.3% number.

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

It should be $15 but $12 works for me

[fhtagn]

It should be $15 but $12 works for me

So why did you vote in favor of tabling the last minimum wage bill, just 3 months ago?

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

I motion for a final vote on this

[Esteemed Jimmy]

I motion for a final vote on this

Representatives have 24 hours for objections.

[fhtagn]

I guess both Jimmy and Razze have made clear that addressing concerns about why they voted down the last bill but support this one is just too hard.

It's especially disappointing since as sponsor of the bill, it's Jimmy's job to defend it. With as much time as he's spent elsewhere on the forum and on discord, he has no excuse for failing to comment on this.

And with that, I'm objecting to the final vote.

[Sestak]

Wait this is still a bump increase. Phase-in?