MINIMUM WAGE A SHORT INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS THE MINIMUM WAGE IN CALIFORNIA? Although there are some exceptions, almost all employees in California must be paid the minimum wage as required by state law. Effective July 1, 2014, the minimum wage in California is $9.00 per hour. Effective January 1, 2016, the minimum wage in California is $10.00 per hour.

Yes. There is no distinction made between adults and minors when it comes to payment of the minimum wage Is the minimum wage the same for both adult and minor employees?

May an employee agree to work for less than minimum wage? No. The minimum wage is an obligation of the employer and cannot be waived by any agreement, including collective bargaining agreements. Any remedial legislation written for the protection of employees may not be violated by agreement between the employer and employee. Civil Code Sections 1668 and 3513Civil Code Sections

I work in a restaurant as a waitperson. Can my employer use my tips as a credit toward its obligation to pay me the minimum wage? No. An employer may not use an employee's tips as a credit toward its obligation to pay the minimum wage.

What can I do if my employer doesn't pay me at least the minimum wage? You can either file a wage claim with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (the Labor Commissioner's Office), or file a lawsuit in court against your employer to recover the lost wages. Additionally, if you no longer work for this employer, you can make a claim for the waiting time penalty pursuant to Labor Code Section 203.file a wage claimLabor Code Section 203

8. Massachusetts 7. California 6. Nevada 5. Illinois 4. Connecticut 3. Vermont 2. Oregon 1. Washington EIGHT STATES WITH THE HIGHEST MINIMUM WAGE USA TODAY, DECEMBER 2013

THE DEBATE OVER RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE The debate over raising the minimum wage has been a hot topic after President Obama explained in his 2014 State of the Union Address that he intends to raise the Federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour.

 Economic Stimulus: Raising the minimum wage means minimum wage workers have more money to expend which means more money ripples throughout the economy as minimum wage employees are able to spend more.  More opportunity for jobs: If these minimum wage employees are spending more, then businesses are earning more and need to hire more employees to keep up with the increased sales from the minimum wage employees who are buying more.  Inflation: The federal minimum wage needs to be raised in order to account for inflation, which raises every year and the minimum wage has only been risen three times in the past three decades.

 Reduced Expense for Social Programs: Employees surviving at minimum wage are also often the same people who must rely on additional support of government run social programs to support themselves and their families on such a small amount of income. Raising minimum wage means some of these people would be able to better support themselves without leaning as heavily on social programs and this would ultimately mean lower taxes or a reallocation of those funds to support other needs.  Decreased Turnover Rate: Employees who are making a higher minimum wage feel more comfortable and satisfied in their minimum wage jobs meaning they are less likely to quit. This means there would be a lower turnover rate, which results in fewer expenses to hire and train new employees.

 Layoffs: If an employer has a tight compensation budget and the minimum wage is raised, it means they can no longer compensate the same number of employees at a higher rate and must make layoffs to remain within budget. So, while some employees may be making slightly more money, others will be left unemployed.  Price increase: Employers might raise prices of their product in order to generate enough income to support their more highly paid minimum wage employees, which could ultimately create a ripple effect for other shops and industries, resulting in a slightly higher cost of living, resulting in another push to raise minimum wage again.

 Fewer Hirings: If business must pay their minimum wage employees more, they cannot afford to hire as many employees. According to a Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago study, “10 percent increase in the minimum wage lowers low skill employment by 2 to 4 percent and total restaurant employment by 1 to 3 percent.” Or instead of hiring fewer employees, the company may start outsourcing jobs to employees in countries that are willing to work for much less than $10.10 per hour, resulting in fewer jobs for Americans.According to a Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago study Competition Will Intensify: If minimum wage increases, overly qualified individuals will be vying for minimum wage positions, pushing younger, inexperienced workers out of the running and robbing them of their opportunity to gain experience and knowledge to build a resume for themselves and enter the workforce.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Discuss the Pro’s and Con’s with your class. Would you support the current push in California for a minimum wage of $15 an hour?