How much money do you make working minimum wage

Americans have debated the appropriate level for a federal minimum wage for decades. In1. The number of federal minimum wage workers has decreased from 7. This is partly due to states establishing higher minimum wages than the federal level more on that in a second. Since how much money do you make working minimum wage, the wgae has increased via congressional amendments. However, 29 states and Washington, D. The minimum wage should not be confused with the living wage. The minimum wage is established by Congress and enforced by the Department of Labor. The living wage is a subjective concept calculated by policymakers and advocacy groups that works backward to calculate a wage to cover the basic needs and expenses of individuals in particular areas. States tou also set minimum wage laws. Inthere were five states without minimum wage laws, two states with minimum yoi below the federal minimum, 14 states with minimum wages at the federal level, and 29 states, plus Washington, D. This is a significant change fromwhen only two states, plus Washington, D.

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Dougleshia Nicholson is a single mother of six trying to survive on minimum wage in Kansas City, Missouri. One of her sons has asthma, and she estimates she’s been to the emergency room for her kids six or seven times so far this year. But her cashier job at Church’s Chicken doesn’t come with paid time off and every shift is essential. I don’t have a set schedule,» Nicholson says, adding she’s notified about her start time the night before via text message. Sometimes that doesn’t come until 1 a. To support herself and her kids, Nicholson is forced to rely on assistance from both her family and the government. She also relies on food stamps to buy groceries for her family. Instead, she walks, rain, snow or sun. Yet across the board, wages simply are not keeping up as day-to-day costs continue to soar.

State Wage Rate

Pew Research found that the average paycheck has the same purchasing power it did 40 years ago. That’s true even in smaller metro areas where the cost of living can be lower. In fact, it’s more difficult than ever to get ahead, especially if you’re trying to do so on minimum wage. When it was signed into law in by Franklin D. Roosevelt, minimum wage was designed to provide workers a livable salary. Dramatic increases in education, child care and housing costs are at the core of this struggle, especially for families like Nicholson’s.

State Wage Rate

Since it was first instituted in , the federal minimum wage has established a floor for wages. While not every worker is eligible, it provides a minimum of earnings for the lowest-paid workers. Full-time work means working 2, hours each year, which is 40 hours each week. However, many states have their own minimum wages, including 29 that are currently higher than the federal rate. Minimum wages from state to state vary widely, from those with minimums that default to the federal rate to states with minimums that are higher.

Job Schedule Your work schedule also determines what you can earn at the job. Advocates who push for increases say those who work minimum wage jobs just can’t afford to keep up with the rising cost of living—many of whom are living below the poverty level. One important point to note, though, is that minimum wage rates are slightly different for employees who receive tips. Opponents of this change point out a Congressional Budget Office report which says this wage increase would put half a million people out of work. Your total wages per hour ignoring peak times, days off, etc.

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HOW I MANAGE TO LIVE COMFORTABLE MAKING MINIMUM WAGE

The living wage is the amount of income determined to provide a decent standard of living. It should also be adjusted to jinimum for inflation. The purpose of a living wage is to make sure that all full-time workers have enough money to live above the federal poverty level.

Use our California Minimum Wage Calculator to see your minimum hourly pay rate

The minimum wage is the wage mandated by law, to keep employees above the poverty ohw in their area. However, the minimum wage is simply not enough to provide one with minimim means to live. It also is not enough monej cover medical, auto, or renters and homeowner’s insurance. The living wage is often confused with the national minimum wage. In fact, the terms are often used interchangeably. The U. Omney originally created the minimum wage with the intent to provide a living wage. The minimum wage is an amount set by law, whereas the living wage is determined by average costs to live. The amount needed to provide a living wage depends on what is included in the calculation. The amount set by lawmakers for the minimum wage must take into account the needs of businesses as well as workers. They must also consider the overall impact on the economy. The minimum wage was originally set to allow workers enough income to stay out of poverty. The minimum wage concept has failed because it hasn’t kept pace nuch the rising cost of living, causing many working people to live below the poverty level. This same impoverished family would also not be able to afford an average health insurance policy. Both parents would need to work minimum wage jobs to stay above how much money do you make working minimum wage poverty level. Even those making the minimum wage and living above the poverty level aren’t making a living wage.