...I must say when I was told of Advocacy Days I really had no clue what I was in for. I was so excited and the event surpassed my expectations and I was in awe. For this paper I will discuss my professional experience at Advocacy days and the itinerary we had. Then I will discuss my insights to what I observed and what it entailed. I will then describe the legislative process that I was able to see. Last I will use sources to tell you about the controversial issue of minimum wage while we were there. I highly recommend Advocacy Days with the Idaho Chapter of the NASW to anyone looking to get into the social work profession. A great learning experience. My professional experience during these two days was a lot to absorb. The first day...
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...Minimum Wage Minimum wage is one of the biggest controversies in todays world. In the two articles and the video, there are different ideas that are discussed. The first article that is talked over is “The argument against raising the minimum wage,” the second article is “Economists argues about minimum wages,” and the video is “Thirty Days Minimum Wage.” The one that I favor the most is “Thirty Days, Minimum Wage.” After reading the two articles and the video, I believe that minimum wage should be raised. In the first article, “The argument against raising the minimum wage,” the writer discusses why minimum wage should not be raised. For example, he states the consequences that will happen if the minimum wage was to rise; some of these include loss of jobs, an increase in consumer prices, and the likelihood of experienced workers being attracted to lower-paying jobs. If the minimum wage were to rise, many workers who have more advanced jobs might quit because of the benefits of a minimum wage job. Another idea that is brought up is the fact that higher paying and non-entry level jobs would not get paid as much. Although I am for raising the minimum wage, I do think that this suggestion is very unfair. I feel that if you went to college and worked hard for your degree, you deserve to get paid the right amount and not get a pay cut because of someone not going to college. In the second article, “Economists argue about minimum wage,” the author gives numerous thoughts on whether...
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...believed in and how I thought the government was handling certain things. I learned that Obama is trying to raise the minimum wage and is trying to help college goers by trying to reduce student debt. I learned that there are some things that I am unsure of. My answers before I read the two articles did not change after I read the two articles. I still believe that higher education prices are too pricey and that if it wasn’t so high that our unemployment percent would not be as high as it is because people could afford to go to college. I do not think that the minimum wage should increase because the jobs that give minimum wage are jobs for children in school or people that are unable to work in the working environment. I think that if Obama raises minimum wage then people will not care that they don’t have an education and take the jobs that, for example, a first job for a teenager would work. I believe that if minimum wage is raised to $10.10, than people will not attend college to get the degree, but will still be making a decent amount of money that one of the lowering paying jobs make but require a degree. From this assignment I learned that there is a lot going on in the government that I am not fully aware of. Although, I have my opinions on what I think should happen, I did not realize that Obama was taking action on these things. I learned that I need to pay attention more to the government because I do feel strongly about raising minimum wage, I do not want this...
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...Growing up I have always taken a keen interest in activism and attempting to do my part to solve some of the many problems the world faces on a daily basis in the twenty first century. I strongly believe in equality of opportunity, and so I am a strong advocate for better education within the country and affirmative action based on circumstances and privilege. In addition to my love for activism and creating an awareness to the problems that persist today, I have a passion for numbers and problem solving. I love taking on an extremely challenging problem-solving question or riddle and exercising my brain in search of a practical solution. The combination of my love for activism and problem-solving lead me directly to this problem, the problem...
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...your conclusions. 1. There are federal and state laws setting minimum wages for workers. There are also city laws setting price ceilings for housing rents. a. Why are there laws setting minimum wages for workers and maximum rents for housing? The laws set for minimum wages protect unskilled workers from exploitation (Gorman, 2008) and provide them with a “living wage” (Livingston, 2011). The idea of a minimum wage was created in Australia and New Zealand to reduce poverty (Gorman, 2008). Maximum rents for housing was created to protect tenants from increased monthly rent cost by landlords (Block, 2008). Formally, rent control is known as the Emergency Tenant Protection Act; which was created during World War II in New York City (Block, 2008). b. Why are there no laws setting maximum wages for workers or minimum rents for housing? Setting a maximum wage law will not only hinder the economy but hurt high wage workers purchasing power. When the economy is booming, most workers receive raises, however if there is a cap placed on the wages, workers would max out their earnings. If workers production levels in one hour is 10 times what they receive in compensation, the only party benefiting in the transactions in the company. Maximum wages would also hurt the market for luxury items. Workers may be reluctant in purchasing certain luxury items because once they have reach there max wage; there is no room for wage increases. A price control for rent was created in an effort...
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...Minimum wage is defined as the lowest possible income that an employer can legally pay an employee. This ensures that all people are fairly paid and not defrauded by companies or businesses. Minimum wage is now a staple in 90 percent of countries in the world (Minimum). Even with these minimums, a person’s lifestyle is hard to maintain. Sustainability, in my opinion, is the ability to keep or maintain a certain amount of physical or mental property. In this light of sustainability, minimum wage is not a sustainable amount of money in which to survive with a basic quality of life. There are many supporters and objectors to the minimum wage debate. Supporters say that increasing minimum wage increases the workers earning power and wages. Objectors say that increasing minimum wage only leads to unemployment due to small companies’ inability to pay workers. Also the increased inflation rate of goods only hurts the economy, which leads to many jobs being lost, mainly the jobs held by minimum wage patrons. Although this is a heated debate there is one thing to which both sides agree; something needs to be implemented so that workers are not exploited by businesses. Economists are exploring the viability of minimum wage, the standard minimum wage payments, and if there is anything we can do to keep the world on an equal playing field. There are many thoughts and opinions on minimum wage. Minimum wage was put into practice to keep businesses from taking advantage of the “small people...
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...2013 Minimum Wage Minimum wage has to change for the better. Americans live in poverty every day, and minimum wage is not sufficient to survive. An employee gets 40 hours a week at $7.25 an hour which comes to $290 a week. Poverty is all a person can expect unless changes can be reached. When the minimum wage increases millions benefit and Individuals working will find their income increased by thousands of dollars a year. This can only strengthen the economy and promote businesses to thrive. The Washington Post stated that 13.2% of all Americans lived below poverty level in 2008. (The Washington Post, 2008). An increase in revenue would be a 40 hour work week with an increase of $1.00 an hour would be a total of $2,080.00 a year. Does not sound like much but for some it could mean the difference in a roof over their heads and food to eat. Society is over whelmed with individuals on welfare and food stamps. What if we did not have a minimum wage law, employers could charge whatever the market will bear, we would still have food stamps and welfare. What if the government discontinues all food stamps and welfare, this forces people to work. Without food stamps and welfare individuals have no choice but to work or starve. Eliminating the easy way humans adapted to change by finding work. Willingness to survive will make people do things they would not normally do. Money is the key to survive, we all need it to live. An increase in the minimum wage is needed...
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...Minimum wage and poverty are important factors we face in the United States. Although these rates have been lowering over the years, no working American should live in poverty. According to the CNN article I researched on minimum wage and poverty, no one who works full-time, in one of the wealthiest nations on Earth, should have to raise a family in poverty. This is why this has become a fundamental principle and will begin to increase to $10.10 per hour (Perez, T., Harkin, T., & Miller, G.). Minimum wage and poverty affects mostly the lower wage workers. This includes stressful days at work filled with struggle and anxiety. CNN personnel have visited with people whose stories are heartbreaking when you have to decide about which bill to pay, which meal to skip, which growing child will get a pair of shoes this season and whether to buy a gallon of milk or a gallon of gas. Anything resulting from a car repair to even home repair can be a inconvenience for some, but a catastrophe for a low wage worker (Perez, T., Harkin, T., & Miller, G.). For the past 5 years, minimum wage has stayed stagnant at $7.25 per hour, which is unconscionably low. During this time lapse, the cost of food, utilities, transportation and other essentials have gone up, but low-wage workers have remained the same (Perez, T., Harkin, T., & Miller, G.). Due to this minimum wage being so low, many workers must rely on pulic assistant to stay above the water. CNN Money. http://money.cnn.com/news/economy/storysupplement/census_poverty_map/ ...
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...with a low income working hours and hours just to work even longer for the rest of her entire life. Though keep in mind that the state's minimum wage is only $5.15. For some that can be their life, and to those, it may be the result of relatively low minimum wage. Who would have thought that our great nation has one of the highest in the world? The average minimum wage in our country is $7.25, and suppose that...
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...Squared Debate Analysis COMS 305 Abolish Minimum Wage Debate I thought both sides debated the case well, and they all showed interest in the case. The main issue being debated was to abolish minimum wage which is a policy claim. All of the debaters had a clear claim which made me easily interested in both sides regardless of what side I took before the debate. The reason the claims were clear was because they each had verification proving what they were arguing. The debaters had strong poise, and both teams presented their case with assurance and compassion. They each spoke intelligently about their side. There were some key points though. One was whether minimum wages hurts or improves the lives of the poorest American families. Another was that minimum wage destroys jobs as well as job opportunities. In addition, social mobility was discussed, as well as reverse stimulus. The team that was for abolishing minimum wage pointed out that minimum wage takes away any alternatives and that alternatives force employers to treat employees well and specifically said, "most of us don't need legislation to protect us in the labor force" (Roberts). The best examples that were given was employers taking their business over seas and replacing workers with machines. For a specific example, they pointed out how Walmart no longer has baggers (Roberts). The cashiers do it. They also used the example that Hong Kong has never had a minimum wage and they rose up to be one of the most prosperous...
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...1. Respond to the questions following Case 22.3, Terry v. Sapphire Gentlemen's Club on page 729. In the case Terry v. Sapphire Gentlemen’s Club, the performers filed a case against the club claiming to be employees and therefore required to be paid at least minimum wage under the law. In the end the federal court ruled them as employees and required minimum wage to be paid to the performers. Had the performers had the status of independent contractors, Sapphire would not have to pay them minimum wage. As an independent contractor, the performers would be operating as a separate business entity (Cihon & Castegnera, 2015). Sapphire would have an economic incentive to classify them in this way because if they were considered a separate business they would not have to pay the performers a minimum wage. In addition to this, the court held that the individual “entertainment agreements” between the performers and Sapphire were not definitive of the relationship between the performers and the club. The reason they did not...
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...Battle to Raise Minimum Wage Lyvonda Wadley Baker College The raising of minimum wage will have a negative impact on the economy while $15 minimum wage increase ripples across the states. In the article The Hamilton Project explains, “U.S. policymakers continue to engage in an active debate over the minimum wage. Calls for minimum wage increases—at the federal, state, and local levels—are based on the premise that rises in the minimum wage will improve the economic well-being of low-paid workers (Kearney, M. S., & Harris, B. H. (n.d.)... Minimum wage increase would actually have a deleterious effect on the economy, low-skilled workers, unemployment, and surrounding businesses. “Congress instituted the minimum wage in 1938 as part...
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...Minimum Wage…Is it Really Helping the Economy Depending on who you ask, there are several opinions to whether there should be an increase in minimum wage. Some believe there will be economic growth because low-wage workers who will then spend the money on things like housing, food, and gas. This boost in demand for goods and services will help stimulate the economy and help create opportunities. Its also believed that increasing minimum wage will decrease poverty. A modest increase in minimum wage of 10% could decrease poverty by 2%. (Bernstein) The other side of the argument is raising minimum wage creates inflation and forces layoffs. From an economic standpoint, inflation can be caused by any number of new or increased costs of production,...
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...Explaining Unemployment: An Analysis on State Unemployment Rates Rachel Schlesselman Creighton University Introduction and Research Question Mississippi has 48,434 square miles of land. The state flower is the magnolia. Hawaii has only 6, 423 square miles of land and the yellow hibiscus as the state flower. These states are very different in many aspects; their populations, products, and geography are all very different. States are very unique and while national averages can give a general understanding of these separate entities, how are we to be sure it is an accurate account. The national average for unemployment in August of 2006 was at 4.7 percent. This does not adequately represent the unemployment rates for Mississippi or Hawaii. Mississippi had the highest unemployment rate of all states at 7.1 percent. Hawaii on the other hand, had the lowest at 2.8 percent. If the national average does not accurately represent the unemployment rates of these states, is it not then important for us to look at those state rates and determine our own cause for the differences? It is because of this I ask the question, how do we explain the variation of unemployment rates among the individual states? It is important to clarify exactly what the question is asking and the unit of analysis that is going to be tested. According to the Bureau of Labor, unemployment is defined as “persons who did not work or have a job during the reference period, were actively looking for work during the...
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...Sarah Moll Mrs. Knierim CA 102 October 21, 2011 Minimum Wage and the Fight to End Multigenerational Poverty Everyday we see poverty stricken people begging for money on the side of the road. Upon seeing them, various thoughts cross our minds: Why do they not go out and get a job? Why are they wasting their time begging for money instead of looking for work? Are they really poor or do they just want to get my money? Are they really going to spend my money buying food or are they just going to buy cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs? Are they just being lazy or can they really not get a job? Though each person’s case is different, many of these people are truly so poor that neither they nor their families can survive without handouts from generous people passing by. There is no accurate or reliable way to tell if these people are genuine in their need, so it is up to the individual as to whether or not they choose to give these people aid. In answer to the ever-present question of why these people do not go out and find jobs is many times quite simple – they simply cannot. In order to get a job, one must have references; however, in order to get references one must have had a good job to provide these references. Also, one must go through the interviewing process before one can acquire a job. This is quite challenging for someone who has no place to shower and no clean clothes to wear. In addition, one must know how to behave and interact in an interview, something that many of those...
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