Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on July 26, 2006, to make it unlawful to employ a worker who is less than 18 years old for less than 85 percent of the government mandated miniumum wage for older workers. The bill leaves in place a $4.25 "training wage" minimum wage mandate exception for workers less than 20 years old during their first 90 days on the job

The vote was 38 in favor, 0 opposed and 0 not voting

(Senate Roll Call 634 at Senate Journal 77)

Click here to view bill details.

I had to wait table when I was 16 to help my faily and buy my own school cloths. Why would a 16 year olds work be worth less? Your proposal is child exploitation.

only the republican party has an all out attack on poor people.this party needs to be run out of office!!!!!!! Oh, we will call it a training period for kids and pay them five dollors per hour.What a bunch of bull!!!!!All the republican party wants is cheap labor from our kids so they can bank more money! Shame on all you fat cat republicans.All I say is vote the bums out!!!!!

we should raise the minimum to about $10 an hour. That is proven to put about half of the lower income folks out of work. Then they will steal your car, get busted and the nanny state has another life long dependant. If you don't like working for 5 or 6 bucks an hour, work harder, show your boss that you are worth more. The fact is that most workers are at minimum for a very short time and are mostly teenagers. This is how they get a work ethic. Maybe you want to raise it to $20/ hour. That will teach them. Hey, I can do this nothing job and make 20 an hour. Why should I ever want to work harder or get a better job? Coming soon to a McDonalds near you...the $15 burger.

From a business owner that employs high school kids: Employeeing kids has its own set on limitations and laws that make employing them difficult. Teens have a tuff time getting jobs because of this, yet it is a great time in their lives for them to work. They need to learn how to work. Pushing them further away from the work society is not a good idea.

While I agree that work is work, quit labeling and pointing fingers at Republicans! If the Dems ran things, 80% of my paycheck would be going to fund someone else's education, rent, art project, or whatever else they felt was necessary. Give me a break!

Punctuation and grammar aside, your opinion exemplifies the failure of the educational system. The only jobs that pay minimum wage are entry level. Unskilled, inexperienced employees are whom? What is the job? Stockboy. Clerk. Gofer. They're for part-timers and second-jobbers. They're not careers...although such an entry level job may very well lead to a career. Jacking up the minimum wage makes no economic sense because: (1) It will reduce the number of positions available; (2) It is self defeating in that it contributes to inflation, rendering any "benefit" to a wage increase temporary, at best. Inflation occurs because a segment of the population will suddenly have more disposable cash, so prices do rise. Moreover, an artificial increase in the cost of entry-level labor during manufacturing and distribution will find it's way down to the end price, adding to inflation. In the end, jacking up the minimum wage reduces entry-level opportunities and is self-defeating in that it triggers inflation, ultimately reducing buying power. I used to know a DemocRat who would get on a high horse about the stupid minimum wage throughout any Republican administration (he'd be quiet about it during a DemocRat's reign). He used to say, "How can anyone raise a family on $X an hour?" Anticipating this argument, I'll say this also: If all a person can earn is minimum wage, he's not at a point were he should take a wife or start a family. These things aren't free. They're not gifts. There is no right to start a family and buy a house at 18. Minimum wage is not a living wage...and can never be for the reasons as above. Maybe Michigan has been doing a lot better since I left. If not, the fact that it has chosen to frighten business away by increasing the minimum wage at the state level is irresponsible. Jim Westminster, CO

Pay every citizen the same. Don't discriminate against youth

It's discrimination. Many poor, middle class kids work for college NOT play money. Shame on you.

Stickin' it to the poor families whose kids have to work to better themselves

Violence and lead link.

The lower minimum wage for young and inexperienced workers makes sence. It is very hard to take a new person in a job and give them meaningful work that can result in profits for a business. New workers are not usually productive until they learn the job, show their desire to work by consistantly showing up timely for that work, and showing an attitude to work effectively. Often they are not really interested in the work, only the end result of money at the end of the day. The business manager needs good quality dedicated timely effective workers and they are willing to pay for that. If a worker shows some or all of these traits, they quickly advance to higher responsibility and more pay.

If the worker shows productivity, they quickly gain in pay rate and responsibility. If they show productivty and do not advance in pay or are not treated fairly, they should leave and find an employer they trust and enjoy. It is a two way street.

Most teenagers are not working for the popular belief of what is called "play money." With the poor economy today, scholarships are few, and grants are less. We have to work to pay for college, or be in debt the second we graduate from high school. It is not fair to pay teens less than older adults because of their youth. If Jonny is 18 and Cindy is 26 and they both apply at Wal-Mart, then both should be hired in at the same starting price. Don't make Jonny drop out of school before he starts! We need to encourage kids that working will pay off- not make them work more.

cause unemployment and less jobs. Beside, Wal Mart starting pay is more than minimum wage. If you are 26 or trying to raise a family on minimum wage you have made some very stupid decisions in your life. The government should stay out of business, it's not very good at anything.

That doesn't show enough initiative to get a raise after a month or two should look for other employment.

I have employed over 100 people 14-26 years old in my retail business in Michigan.

If you think it is unfair to be paid less than some one who is older and has more experience than you, then you will likely be unemployed.

When the minimum wage increased from $5.35 to $7.40 over the past few years, I have completely stopped hiring high school kids and reduced hiring of college kids.  They do not have the same level of responsibility nor the experience to anticipate  and deliver against what an employer needs from them.  If I have to train AND pay them the same, I overwhelmingly will just hire mature workers who already know they have to deliver value to me and our customers.