Much greater potential to improve the lives of the lowest-paid workers; businesses often threaten to compensate via layoffs but usually don't follow through Th

Much greater potential to improve the lives of the lowest-paid workers; businesses often threaten to compensate via layoffs but usually don't follow through The effects come in through other means besides layoffs. The businesses still have to make up those expenses somehow, and non-monetary compensation is a primary target. If the government is telling businesses that it must provide greater monetary compensation, then they'll compensate by offering less non-monetary. This will happen through measures like eliminating training programs that could help employees get off that bottom rung; or eliminating flexible scheduling that, say, a single mom might need to attend to her kid's needs. Essentially, there are many form. Long term, there are more negative consequences to minimum wage than you can count through just disemployment effects, which are already keeping the very lowest rung of people unemployed.