Minimum wage

Analyzing the recent federal minimum wage proposals: $10.10, $9.00, and $9.80

Raising the minimum wage to $10.10 would give working families and the economy a much-needed boost

An in-depth analysis of the impact raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 would have, detailing the demographic breakdown of the 30 million workers who would be affected, the stimulative impact on the economy, and the number of jobs that would be created. [David Cooper and Doug Hall, March 13, 2013].

In support of the Fair Minimum Wage Act

A summary of the recent announcement by Senator Tom Harkin and Congressman George Miller of the Fair Minimum Wage Act, with special emphasis on support for the legislation by the President of the US Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and local restaurant owners who have learned that higher wages both reduce turnover and increase productivity [Ross Eisenbrey, March 7, 2013].

A $10.10 minimum wage would give economy (and more low-wage workers) a bigger boost

An analysis of the demographic and economic impact of raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10, including a contextual analysis showing what the minimum wage would be if it had grown with other important economic benchmarks [Doug Hall and David Cooper, March 5, 2013].

Putting proposed $9.00 minimum wage in context

Putting a $9.00/hour minimum wage in context, comparing the federal minimum wage to the official poverty line, to worker productivity, to real average wage growth, and the growth in wages for the top 1 percent of wage earners [David Cooper, February 15, 2013].

Who’d be affected by President Obama’s proposal to increase the federal minimumwage to $9.00

The demographic characteristics—age, race/ethnicity, gender, hours worked, incomes—of those who would be affected by increasing the federal minimum wage to $9.00 [Natalie Sabadish and Doug Hall, February 14, 2013].

Obama throws support behind increasing the minimum wage

Preliminary analysis of the President’s proposal to increase the federal minimum wage to $9.00, noting the importance of ensuring that the proposed indexing use a method that avoids eroding lower wages [Doug Hall, February 13, 2013].

One million Veterans benefit from raising the minimum wage to $9.80

An analysis of the positive impact raising the federal minimum wage to $9.80 would have on American Veterans [David Cooper, November 13, 2012].

How raising the federal minimum wage would help working families and give the economy a boost

Two important aspects of increasing the federal minimum wage to $9.80 – the positive economic impact (GDP boost, and related job growth), and the demographic impact of such an increase [Doug Hall and David Cooper, August 14, 2012]

A selection of EPI’s general research on the minimum wage

Raising the minimum wage could improve public health

This guest blog by UC Davis Health Economist J. Paul Leigh compiles evidence that increasing the federal minimum wage would improve public health, and in so doing, shave significant sums off health care expenses. [J.Paul Leigh, March 6, 2013]

Declining Value of the Federal Minimum Wage is a Major factor Driving Inequality

A State of Working America excerpt that makes the case that the failure of the federal minimum wage to keep up with other measures of growth and economic well-being has contributed to growing income inequality [Lawrence Mishel, February 21, 2013].

American job seekers think increasing the minimum wage would be good for them, and the country

A presentation of public opinion data showing that job-seekers (ie, the unemployed) by a very wide margin favor increasing the minimum wage [Aaron Sojourner, February 20, 2013].

Indexing the minimum wage at the state-level to prevent erosion over time

An assessment of the positive impact of increasing state level minimum wages (primarily through indexing), noting that scheduled increases will result in additional GDP of nearly $184 million, creating over 1,500 jobs [David Cooper, December 26, 2012].

Economic research supports raising the minimum wage

This commentary, originally published in The Hill, summarizes the evolution of literature on the minimum wage, concluding that the Employment Policy Institute’s Michael Saltsman “has a loose regard for facts” [Ross Eisenbrey, July 13, 2012].

The benefits of raising Illinois’ minimum wage

The demographic and economic impact of raising the minimum wage in the state of Illinois (the first paper in which we articulate a modest-stimulus argument for the minimum wage based on transferring income from corporate profits and the wealthy to lower-income earners. Multipliers utilized are based on those used by both Mark Zandi and the Congressional Budget Office (as articulated in Bivens’ Method memo on estimating the jobs impact of various policy changes)) [Mary Gable and Doug Hall, January 30, 2012]

Increasing the minimum wage is smart for families and the economy

The general case for increasing the minimum wage on the grounds that it helps both working families, and the overall economy [Doug Hall, May 19, 2011]

Waiting for Change: The $2.13 Federal Subminimum Wage

Exploration of the antiquated “subminimum wage” of $2.13/hour, that forms the base compensation that tipped workers receive in wages from their employers. Nationally, the subminimum wage has remained unchanged since 1991. State-level “tipped credits” often allow employers to pay much less than state mandated minimum wages [Sylvia Allegretto and Kai Filion, February 23, 2011].

A Stealthy Stimulus: How boosting the minimum wage is helping to stimulate the economy

Articulation of a modest stimulus argument for the minimum wage, applying methodology developed by researchers with the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank to the three steps of the most recent increase in the federal minimum wage from 2007-2009 [Kai Filion, May 28, 2009].

Fix it and Forget it: Index the minimum wage to growth in average wages

An analysis (undertaken in the wake of the 2009 increase) of the importance of indexing the minimum wage to avoid erosion over time, noting that the choice of index makes a substantial difference to the long-term well-being of low-wage workers [Heidi Shierholz, December 17, 2009].