From various countries around the world to the United States, the discussion on the minimum wage has been a major topic of debate. Low-wage workers believe it is necessary to increase the minimum wage to ensure a livable income. The best way to improve the country's economy for the benefit of all is to change the structure of the economy. While we can't necessarily do it alone, making changes to the way government is run could help improve the economic structure together. This could reduce the need for government assistance, improve people's health and likely well-being, and decrease employee turnover. Today, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 and leaves an adult with two children thousands of dollars below the federal poverty line. (Scott. 2019) We believe that we should be able to earn a living wage, to provide for our families. The living wage is the amount of income determined to ensure a decent standard of living. It would have to pay the cost of living anywhere. It should also be adjusted to compensate for inflation. The purpose of a living wage is to ensure that all full-time workers have enough money to live above the federal poverty level. The minimum wage is often confused with the national minimum wage. The United States Congress originally created the minimum wage with the intent of providing a living wage. (Amadeo, 2020) There is a difference between minimum wage and minimum wage. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay After more than a decade without any increase in the federal minimum wage, the longest period in U.S. history, there is now no place in America where a full-time worker earning the federal minimum wage can afford the basic necessities. The Raise the Wage Act will restore the value of work to our economy and lift struggling workers and their families out of poverty. (Edlabor.com, 2019) This also means that the average worker now living below the poverty level relies on local government assistance to pay for basic necessities. These items seem tiny but are vital to the typical person's daily expenses. When working a low-paying job and getting paid minimum wage and trying to raise a family, it's hard enough. The average worker receives food stamps or SNAP, child care of some kind, and Medicare for health insurance, all services provided at the state government level. Most workers who participate in SNAP work in service occupations (for example, home health aides or cooks), administrative support occupations (for example, customer service representatives), and sales occupations (for example, cashiers). (Jennings & Palaciao, 2017) The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since 2009, as established by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The law also stipulates that workers must receive overtime pay equivalent to 1.5 times the standard wage, for no more than 40 hours worked in a single week. (Debt.org, 2013) This amount is not a large amount, but it is the amount that most companies have to pay when they pay the company's employees. The amount of the federal minimum wage may also vary from state to state because this amount differs from state minimum wage law. States can pass their own minimum wage laws. These laws may be lower than, equal to, or higher than the federal minimum, or states may have no minimum wage law at all. If a state does not have a wage lawminimum or its minimum wage is lower than the federal minimum wage, workers are entitled to the federal wage. (Debt.org, 2013) However, for many workers in some sectors, wages are so low that even those who work full time must rely heavily on public assistance to make ends meet. This suggests that many employers' low pay – facilitated by weakened or inadequate labor standards, such as a low minimum wage and outdated overtime rules – is placing unjustified demands on public resources. (Cooper,2016) For businesses not affiliated with the government, they are not required to pay a living wage, but some employers choose to do so anyway. But as living in Washington becomes more and more expensive, some workers say $14.50 isn't enough. (Ann-Simmons, 2019) Effective July 1, 2019, the minimum wage in the District of Columbia will increase from $13.25 per hour to $14.00 per hour for all workers, regardless of employer size Work. Under the new law, the minimum wage will progressively increase to $15.00 per hour starting July 1, 2020, and starting July 1, 2019, the base minimum wage for tipped employees will increase from $3.89 per hour. now at $4.45. However, if the hourly tip earned by an employee, added to the base minimum wage, does not equal the district's total minimum wage, the employer must pay the difference. (DOES.Gov, 2019) The average worker earning the minimum wage works in the restaurant industry. Many earn money from tips or tips left by a consumer for services. Some companies tax employees on tips because they incorporate them into the employee's base pay. For tipped employees, the minimum wage will progressively increase to $5.00 by 2020, beginning in 2021 to increase the minimum wage during each subsequent year based on the Consumer Price Index. (DOES.gov, 2019) The turnover rate of workers receiving the minimum wage is slightly higher for companies that pay only the minimum wage and differs from a company that pays more on an hourly basis. According to data from tens of thousands of small business employers who work with Gusto in the United States, employees earning $7.25 an hour (the current federal minimum wage) are 70% likely to leave by a year, more than double the average turnover rate. by 32%. This finding comes alongside the recent passage of the Raise the Wage Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. Hill proposes a gradual increase in the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour by 2025. Gusto data puts that at $15 an hour. Turnover rates drop significantly from 70% (at the current federal minimum wage) to 41%. (Castillon, 2019) Knowing that the turnover rate can decrease depending on the company and the length of time with the company, can also be a clear indication of how much an employer pays the employee. Living in the United States is a great opportunity that we are afforded, but finding a job that helps us live the life we ​​want is harder than most may actually believe it to be. We all know that the cost of living increases every year and often it doesn't affect us. The average person lives from paycheck to paycheck, just to live comfortably and even that is not the case. We say living paycheck to paycheck and that simply means they work for a paycheck and use it to offset bills and rent/mortgage and have just enough to last until we get the next paycheck, which is often two weeks after the first. Although working 40 hours doesn't mean you earn enough toafford anything, the average worker has to put in more hours just to make ends meet. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalitions fact sheet, to afford the average two-bedroom apartment in the nation's capital, the average worker would need to earn $32.02 an hour. This is calculated as a minimum wage of $14/hour. and working an average of 80 hours each week to afford a modest one-bedroom rental home at fair market rent. (NLIHC, 2019) A 2012 study conducted by the National Low Income Housing Coalition examined the discrepancy between earnings and housing costs. It recorded how many hours a minimum-wage employee would have to work each week to afford a two-bedroom house at standard rent. The study assumed that 30% of an individual's income would go towards housing. The study found that in any case an individual would have to work at least 63 hours per week at the minimum wage to afford rent. (Debt.gov, 2019) This means the average worker works fewer than 20 hours and barely earns enough to live anywhere. There is still talk of raising the minimum wage to a livable wage to ensure we live above the poverty line. Senator Bernie Sanders said: “We need to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Together we will raise the minimum wage to a living wage. And we will also establish equal pay for women." Sanders further states, “While the housing market may have recovered for many, we are still experiencing an affordable housing crisis, especially for low-income families. Today in America, nearly 11 million families pay more than half of their limited income on rent and utilities. This leaves little for other essentials. "(Gibson, 2018) We, as a country, are endangering our people by having unhealthy foods; such as chips, sodas, cookies, and fast food available at a cheap cost. If you want to buy a salad from a fast food restaurant whose cost can cost you on average $5-8 dollars, on the other hand you can get three burgers for half the cost. So what's a family of four to do when they have to pay bills more than they earn in a yearly salary? The World Health Organization's Commission on Social Determinants of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Health Disparities and Inequalities Report have identified income as a key factor influencing health outcomes for individuals, families and communities. (WHO, 2011) Studies have shown that increasing the minimum wage can provide a better outcome in trying to improve people's overall health. According to the latest information from the Kaiser Family Foundation, individuals with low incomes experience in disproportionately negative health outcomes, including higher rates of chronic disease and disability, and fewer life chances, because wages directly impact a person's ability to access resources such as healthy foods. (NCHS, 2014). Please note: this is just an example. Get a customized paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, the minimum wage is mostly just that, a minimum amount of money paid to employees for wages as part of an employment contract. This amount is not a living wage, because this amount is a different amount. Most states have their own state minimum that must be paid to each worker. The average employee relies on state government assistance to offset the money needed to help them stay afloat. Either that 2019,.