HUMAN RIGHTS »» POVERTY »» LIVING WAGE »» Mar 15, 2021

Due to the effects of offshoring and automation, many of our former well-paying jobs have been replaced with minimum wage jobs. In 2019, there were nearly 1.6 million American workers being paid the federal minimum hourly wage of $7.25 or less. Often referred to as the working poor, half of these people are over the age of 25 and most are women, many with families. In addition to their wages, most minimum wage earners are dependent on government benefits such as food stamps and Medicaid to survive. It is estimated that raising the minimum wage to $10.10/hour would lift nearly 2 million Americans out of government safety net programs. Advocates claim the minimum wage is too low to ensure that workers are able to meet a minimum standard of living while working a 40-hour week. These critics claim the minimum wage should be a minimum living wage, ensuring that everyone who is willing to work can get out of poverty. Advocates claim increasing the minimum wage is not the solution to low, unlivable wages because minimum wage increases occur infrequently and are often rendered meaningless by inflation. They say a