Saturday February 16, 2013, 8:13 am
Boosting the Minimum Wage for America's Workers
Acting Secretary Harris explains what raising the minimum wage will mean for low wage workers and working families. View the slideshow for more images and captions.

Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris hit the road this week for conversations outside the Beltway on what increasing the minimum wage would mean for America's workers. In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for raising the federal minimum wage in stages to $9 in 2015, and indexing it to inflation thereafter. Harris was in Philadelphia on Feb. 14 to discuss the president's plan with workers from the fast food and other service sectors. They shared their stories of sacrifice and hardship, and emphasized that no one who works full-time should have to raise a family in poverty. Harris spoke about how the president's plan will boost wages for about 15 million American workers. "For them," Harris said, "being rewarded an honest day's wage for an honest day's work will help them climb into the middle class."

[Site link is the 3 page plan proposed by the President]

Saturday February 16, 2013, 8:13 am
From DOL:
Take Three: Raising the Minimum Wage

The president's plan to raise the federal minimum wage will benefit 15 million American workers, and have a positive effect on the economy. Still, there are some common myths about raising the minimum wage. We checked in with our Chief Economist Jennifer Hunt on the following three myths:

Myth: Raising the minimum wage reduces employment. False Minimum wage increases have little or no adverse effect on employment as shown in independent studies from economists across the country. Additionally, a recent letter by leading economists including Lawrence Katz, Richard Freeman, Joseph Stiglitz and Laura Tyson points out that "[i]n recent years there have been important developments in the academic literature on the effect of increases in the minimum wage on employment, with the weight of evidence now showing that increases in the minimum wage have had little or no negative effect on the employment of minimum wage workers, even during times of weakness in the labor market.

Myth: Only part-time workers are paid the minimum wage? False Fifty-three percent of all minimum wage earners are full-time workers.

Myth: Raising the minimum wage will negatively affect teen employment. False Eighty-nine percent of those earning the minimum wage are 20 years of age or older, and studies have shown that minimum wage increases have had little or no adverse effect on teen employment.

Saturday February 16, 2013, 8:21 am
But why wait until 2015?? Not helpful for those who are in need Now.

Saturday February 16, 2013, 10:41 am
This would give more disposable income to a good chunk of Americans. The best kind of stimulus.

Saturday February 16, 2013, 10:55 am
It phases in with first part now, and the last part in 2015 just like some provisions of ACA were pretty immediate, but the last requirements aren't until next year (e.g., the things that take more time to implement like the insurance exchanges). I agree Nancy.

Saturday February 16, 2013, 12:48 pm
Fine, we heard him say it, so will we see him DO it? another up-hill battle ahead?

Saturday February 16, 2013, 1:07 pm
You must be on a very low minimum wage there Ours is already roughly $10 US or so in uk and in Australia though has high cost of living is still $10 US The goods must be cheap in US or people are doing slave labour Even our minimum wages are still not high enough You cannot have a decent life on the basic wage anywhere
I would like to see any politicians live other than just above the borderline on a minimum wage Ok if two people working They tell it like you getting a fortune Who they kidding!!

Noted Thanks

Saturday February 16, 2013, 1:22 pm
You cannot currently send a star to Carol because you have done so within the last week.
You cannot currently send a star to Angelika because you have done so within the last week.

Saturday February 16, 2013, 4:14 pm
Noted & interesting. I'm sure the commodity traders will be rubbing their hands in glee. Still...it would certainly help a lot of people who do hold minimum wage jobs.

Saturday February 16, 2013, 5:49 pm
noted..

Saturday February 16, 2013, 5:51 pm
Not sure why one would think this would bring commodity traders to feeling glee.

Sunday February 17, 2013, 5:14 am
$9 an hour...??? I think that is what I earned 25 years ago when I was working in a factory!!!

Sunday February 17, 2013, 6:47 am
You cannot currently send a star to Ben because you have done so within the last week.

Sunday February 17, 2013, 6:57 am
I have seen how difficult it is for people to live on minimum wage. The cost of housing in most places is higher than they can afford. They end up in rooming houses or living in areas that are unsafe. This needs to be increased immediately not in 2015. These are hard working people and a number of them are trying to raise families on this low wage. The only way they can make it is by getting food stamps and hopefully subsidies for rent. Then the cycle begins.

Sunday February 17, 2013, 7:05 am
In San Fraqncisco and Los Angeles, such workers have been living in their cars and paying for parking spaces since rent is out of their reach. The bills putting forth the President's plan can be amended to speed the when on reaching $9 in Congress--we can begin calling and writing our representatives to do so now and doing petitions once the bills have been introduced.

Sunday February 17, 2013, 8:12 am
Will the next "bubble" be rental properties because all those on minimum wage or not much more than will no longer be able to afford rent?

Sunday February 17, 2013, 11:45 am
Good question Nancy--although a disproportionate amount of the new construction starts the past couple of years have been apartments and multiple family dwellings. You cannot currently send a star to Nancy because you have done so within the last week.

Tuesday February 19, 2013, 6:33 am
Humor:
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