4 ms·

> Even minimum wage is a barrier for some. Marginalized groups (e.g. chronic drug users) can find it difficult to find an employer who values their labor at the

> Even minimum wage is a barrier for some. Marginalized groups (e.g. chronic drug users) can find it difficult to find an employer who values their labor at the minimum wage. The stepping stone of working below minimum wage is made illegal for them I find this line of reasoning flawed, if you relaxed the constraints around minimum wage, the "stepping stone" would become the new minimum

CryptoPunk 8y ago
That assumes no market rate for labor, and only government wage floors maintaining current wage levels, which given labor statistics, which show the unemployment rate being extremely low, and the vast majority of jobs paying above minimum wage, is clearly not true.
- pc86 8y ago
  It's probably best to avoid the word "clearly" on topics where economists with PhDs can disagree widely and come to drastically different conclusions from the same data.
  - CryptoPunk 8y ago
    Economists don't disagree widely on there being a market rate for labor. This is a basic economic truism.
Broken_Hippo 8y ago
You can relax barriers without lowering minimum wage, though. For example, drug tests. Drug tests are really common for low-wage jobs. So are credit checks. And so on. Many of these jobs have fairly cruel attendance policies as well, so getting to the psychiatrist once a month can be a real issue. Some of them require you to have a vehicle instead simply requiring a means of transportation - and at least outside of cities, many don't even have a safe place to lock up a bicycle. You can require employers prove they need a credit check or drug test, for example. Most these places already have systems in place to catch theft and should be simply making sure the person does the job safely. Make sure folks can go to doctor's appointments, and have policies that mean folks can ride their bike to work without being stuck due to a stolen bicycle. This might also include making sure to have a changing room in case of incliment weather if you expect your employee to look a certain way when work starts.

CryptoPunk 8y ago

That assumes no market rate for labor, and only government wage floors maintaining current wage levels, which given labor statistics, which show the unemployment rate being extremely low, and the vast majority of jobs paying above minimum wage, is clearly not true.

pc86 8y ago
It's probably best to avoid the word "clearly" on topics where economists with PhDs can disagree widely and come to drastically different conclusions from the same data.
- CryptoPunk 8y ago
  Economists don't disagree widely on there being a market rate for labor. This is a basic economic truism.

Broken_Hippo 8y ago

You can relax barriers without lowering minimum wage, though. For example, drug tests. Drug tests are really common for low-wage jobs. So are credit checks. And so on. Many of these jobs have fairly cruel attendance policies as well, so getting to the psychiatrist once a month can be a real issue. Some of them require you to have a vehicle instead simply requiring a means of transportation - and at least outside of cities, many don't even have a safe place to lock up a bicycle. You can require employers prove they need a credit check or drug test, for example. Most these places already have systems in place to catch theft and should be simply making sure the person does the job safely. Make sure folks can go to doctor's appointments, and have policies that mean folks can ride their bike to work without being stuck due to a stolen bicycle. This might also include making sure to have a changing room in case of incliment weather if you expect your employee to look a certain way when work starts.