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How does a $15/hr minimum wage affect wages of those not making minimum wage?

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How does a $15/hr minimum wage affect wages of those not making minimum wage?
Answer: 

Increases in the minimum wage tend to cause firms to raise wages for those whose wages were initially above the new minimum in order to maintain the former pay hierarchy. The biggest effect is on workers closest to the minimum wage. There is also some evidence that firms shift hours to workers paid above the new minimum while reducing the hours of the least skilled workers whose wage rose due to the minimum wage. Both the higher pay and the higher hours will tend to raise income for those who were already paid above $15 per hour.

Do minimum wage increases hurt wages of above minimum-wage workers?

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Do minimum wage increases hurt wages of above minimum-wage workers?
Answer: 

In theory, a stiff and swift increase in the minimum wage may result in less employment (of minimum-wage-eligible workers) and may increase prices to some extent as firms pass on higher wage costs to their consumers. But it does not follow that higher-wage workers will see a decrease in their wages. Since the wages of the minimum wage-eligible workers have gone up, they may increase their spending and boost demand (and sales) which may even allow firms to raise salaries of higher paid workers. 

Would the minimum wage rise if immigration is slowed?

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Would the minimum wage rise if immigration is slowed?
Answer: 

Minimum wages are wage floors set by law, not by the market. They, however, are subject to political pressure from citizens. If, say, hypothetically, all immigration, legal or otherwise, was stopped, then there would be a stronger demand to hire natives to fill the positions currently taken up by immigrants. Esp. the low-skilled, low-wage jobs such as in construction, food processing, hospitality. Natives have made it clear they are not willing to work at the wages that immigrants currently do. So, the wages would have to rise to entice natives to sign up to work.

Does Washington make policy changes without sound fiscal management?

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Does Washington make policy changes without sound fiscal management?
Answer: 

Alas, your concern about lack of sound fiscal management is not only justified in this case but is justified far more broadly. Many policy changes are initiated without third party studies to back them up. One assumes the government agencies do a fair job and the adversarial nature of evidence also prompts industry groups to do theirs. Much of the truth is, I suspect, uncovered by this process. But then, who knows for sure? In this case, though, there are many impact studies on minimum wage increases for other states or cities that Washington residents could fall back upon.

What would happen if the minimum wage laws were repealed? Would businesses pay their employees a penny an hour?

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What would happen if the minimum wage laws were repealed? Would businesses pay their employees a penny an hour?
Answer: 

If minimum wage laws were repealed, the vast majority of U.S. workers would not have their wages impacted. Through supply and demand, competitive market forces drive up the wage rates of most workers to levels considerably above the current federal minimum rate of $7.25 an hour (or the somewhat higher minimums imposed by many states). Given their options, most workers are not willing to supply their labor for $7.25 an hour, let alone for a penny an hour. Still, some nonworkers would be happy to work for some amount between a penny and $7.25 an hour if given the opportunity.

How many families would be helped by raising the minimum wage?

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How many families would be helped by raising the minimum wage?
Answer: 

That’s an astute observation. As you say, $5 billion divided by $300 per family in poverty suggests there are about 17 million families in poverty. But the Census data cited in the CBO report indicate far fewer families in poverty. Updating your link to the most recent data, the Census reports about 9.1 million families in poverty in 2013 (similar to your 9.5 million figure), not 17 million families.

“Employment is like everything else: the more expensive it is, the less you get.” What is the best counterargument?

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“Employment is like everything else: the more expensive it is, the less you get.” What is the best counterargument?
Answer: 

Are your students economists? If so, it will be difficult to fashion a legitimate bumper sticker in support of the minimum wage. Boehner’s quote is called the “Law of Demand” in economics. You might use:

“Because employers can pay wages no higher than the value of the output their workers produce, we can raise labor productivity by pricing the least productive workers out of the market.”

You might need a big bumper.

Could raising minimum wage cause job cascade?

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Could raising minimum wage cause job cascade?
Answer: 

The current federal minimum wage for workers in covered sectors is $7.25 an hour. As you suggest, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour would motivate many workers who were already being paid $15 in the old regime to seek employment in less demanding jobs that would now pay the same rate. To retain workers in more skilled, physically or mentally demanding, dangerous, or unpleasant jobs, employers would need to adjust wages upward to some degree. Still, couriers should not anticipate dramatic increases in their wages following a minimum wage increase.

How does it affect the economy to have more people pursue careers in minimum wage jobs?

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How does it affect the economy to have more people pursue careers in minimum wage jobs?
Answer: 

First, the characterization of foodservice and restaurant workers as a career track is inaccurate. The median age of restaurant workers is 28.4 years, the second youngest sector of our economy (next to retail shoe stores at 24 years). As shown in the table, only 34% of restaurant workers are over 34. However, the question also leads to a broader question. How many workers have a career of minimum wage work? The answer is very few.