What is minimum wage? It is the “lowest wage” by law or by
special agreement such as a labor union. The 1938 Act set minimum wage for
employees engaged in only in interstate commerce or in the production of goods
for interstate commerce which was $.25 (twenty five cents) per hour. In 1961
there was an amendment which extended minimum wage to employees in large retail
and service enterprises, local transit, construction, and gasoline service
station workers. In 1966 another amendment extended minimum wage to cover State
and local government employees, as well as employees in hospitals, nursing
homes, and schools, laundries, drycleaners, large hotels, motels, restaurants
and farms. Note though not all federal, state, and local employees were covered
or certain retail, service, and domestic workers were covered under the 1966
Amendments. In 1990 a grandfather class was issued to all employees who do not
meet the test for individual covers, and whose employers were covered by the
FLSA on March 1990, and fail to meet the increased annual dollar volume (ADV)
test for enterprise coverage, must receive $3.35 per hour. In 1990, a
subminimum wage of $4.25 per hour is established for employees under the age of
20 years of age during the 1st 90 consecutive calendar days of
employment with an employer. http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.htm
Look at it like this:
1938 $.25 per
hour
1950 $.75 per
hour
1960 $1.15 per
hour 1961
Amendment (changed) $1.00 per hour
1967 $1.40 per
hour 1966
Amendment (changed) $1.00 per hour
1977 $2.30 per
hour
1978 $2.65 per
hour
1990 $3.80 per
hour 1990
Amendment-for all covered-non-exempt workers
1997 $5.15 per
hour 1997
Amendment-(subminimum wage $4.25 per hour)
2009 $7.25 per
hour for
all covered, non-exempt workers
For you own information put $7.25 to the test at 40 hour
per week; now, deduct all taxes, rent, transportation, insurance, electricity,
and food. What is left over? You will find out that you go into a hole. Contrary
to popular belief wait staff at restaurants have three wage categories: (a)
combined cash & tip is $7.25 per hour, (b) tip credit against minimum wage
$5.12 per hour, and (c) Minimum cash wage $2.13 per hour. Well someone has to
clean nasty bathrooms, messy people in restaurants at tables, and to wait on
the public hand and foot.
Many people students, handicapped, and senior citizens
generally work off of minimum wage. There are all types of jobs for all types
of people. Not everyone can make a lot of money or go to college or wait
tables, and mop floors; but, everyone deserves a chance to feed themselves. If
the money is not there then social services helps those out with food stamps
and other programs available like government controlled cell phones or Medicaid—but
there are stipulations.
Over the past two years, I have read posts (and not
necessarily on Facebook either) to the effect: minimum wage wasn’t supposed to
be to make a living off of; people on minimum wage are lazy; why don’t they get
an education; why don’t they work like I do and pay for it themselves; look
she/he probably doesn’t work—they are on food stamps; if you can afford
cigarettes or liquor you don’t need food stamps; drug test all of them those on
food stamps. Who decides who gets to eat
or be able to afford toilet paper, diapers, or toothpaste?
Are taxes deducted off of those making minimum wage? The
complaints above are about some tax payers needing government help. There are
about 10% who receive government assistance are actually criminally negligent.
15% of sub-contractors who administer government social services are just plain
useful and negligent. 15% of those people are generally just lazy. There are
about 60% of those on social services that actually need assistance. I am
basing those figures off of prior research that I have done on my own. Those
figures may not be 100% accurate but they are truthful to the best of my
ability.
The next time you go to a restaurant, the wait staff is not
your personal maid. People that mop the floors in the hospital are human
beings. That ditch digger has a purpose in life. The customer service agent has
feelings too. That teacher wipes the nose of your ill behaved child. That
doctor hears enough complaints in one week to scream. That police officer would
probably like to shoot the next disrespectable idiot they meet. That child’s
clothing store retailer would probably like to beat the stew out of the parent
that lets their children run wild in the store, all nasty with runny noses and
sticky hands. So think about it.
George Bush and even Newt Gingrich once said that there are
a lot of Christian people who can donate food and help those who are less
fortunate. In my 54 years, I have yet to see any Christian group giving away
diapers, toothpaste, or toilet paper. (I do wish at time someone would correct
me; yet many just remain silent.) We (as a country) can be very benevolent to
people in other countries, but what about our neighbors? Doesn’t charity begin
at home? How often have you asked someone on food stamps if you can assist them
in any way to get their life back on track?
The ultimate question, what happened to a little Christian
humanity or better yet humility? Did you walk in that persons shoe’s today?
“In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of
truth, humility and righteousness; let you right hand display awesome deeds.”
(Psalm 45:4)
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in
humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:1)
“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in
their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of
death—that is, the devil. (Hebrews 2:14)
Keep in prayer Shea Morrow Fraley---she and one of her
children have been down with the flu but are getting better; keep in prayer the
family and friends of Annie Mae Pell—she has gone to join God’s troops; keep in
prayer Natalie Hightower on her fight with cancer. Pray for each other.
This is just my opinion. Please feel free to comment. I
respect your opinion very much so; please respect mine.
God bless you all and keep you safely in His arms.
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