USA vs Canada - Minimum Wage...

[DawnCt1]

I respect your desire to help people, but I think we would help more people by getting rid of our minimum wage altogether. Youth unemployment is at extremely high levels. The higher you make the minimum wage, the more you'll increase unemployment, especially for those with the fewest skills.

In my view, if you are going to have a minimum wage law, people should be able to opt out of it if they are willing to work for less.

Here is a recent editorial on the issue.

I agree with you. Having chronically unemployed people is not good.

 

[DeniseinNS]

Nothing. We have insurance.

But you have to pay for the insurance right?

 

[declansdad]

Nothing. We have insurance.

and what do you pay for that insurance?

 

[wvjules]

But you have to pay for the insurance right?

So do you, but you call it taxes.

 

[ICF]

Nothing. We have insurance.

you must have some great insurance if you dont pay anything for an MRI. Most plans have a deductible and then would pay 80% (or 90%) of the cost. Most plans dont pay every cent of an MRI in any case, so you would typically pay "something" in addition to the cost of having the insurance to begin with.

 

[Northstar]

Getting back AGAIN to the issue of minimum wage, as opposed to the general issue of how the US and Canada pay for health care:

Minimum wage workers in Canada do not have to pay for basic health care out of pocket, either in insurance payments or in user fees. They pay higher taxes for what they buy (most of health care is funded out of sales tax, I think) than workers in the US, so this evens it out a bit... higher prices reduce Canadians' purchasing power. However, many minimum wage workers will qualify for a rebate of some of the sales tax they paid through the year. This is based on yearly income... higher wage earners don't qualify for a sales tax rebate.

Minimum wage workers in the US have to decide how much of their limited income to put towards health care. They may have access to various government insurance programs that are available for eligible low-income families, and know that if they go to a hospital needing emergency care, they won't be turned away.

I don't know about Mexico (saradela, come back and post!)

 

[DawnCt1]

you must have some great insurance if you dont pay anything for an MRI. Most plans have a deductible and then would pay 80% (or 90%) of the cost. Most plans dont pay every cent of an MRI in any case, so you would typically pay "something" in addition to the cost of having the insurance to begin with.

None of the plans that we have a choice of have copays for diagnostics, only co pays for physician visits, physical therapy and ER visits.

 

[M5ward]

In Tennessee, a tipped position actually gets paid 2.13/hr. LEGALLY the employer is suppoesed to catch the employee up to minimum wage if they don't make enough in tips. However, in my experience, the managers will change your reported tips to make it look like you make a lot more than you did so they don't have to catch you up. 2.13 an hour is a ridiculous wage, and no one can live on that, especially if they have an employer like what I've described.

The managers should have nothing to do with it. Our accountant determines the percentage of bar receipts and food receipts needed to get to minimum wage and deducts for them accordingly. At the end of the year, the percentages are probably less than was actually made in tips but enough to use for tax purposes. You shouldn't have to report your tips..ownership/management should have this set up through payroll/accounting.

The minimum wage issue is like the cat chasing its tail..minimum wage goes up, prices go up to accomodate the increase in payroll and payroll taxes. Viscious cycle..

 

[DeniseinNS]

Although, you need to take in to account the taxes we pay are used to contribute to many things that people in other countries must pay for themselves.

Plus we also get some benefits from the government such as Child Tax Benefits and the Universal Child Care Benefits each month if we have children and some people get the GST Cheque every 3 months. Plus a full year of maternity leave.

 

[Planogirl]

The minimum wage issue is like the cat chasing its tail..minimum wage goes up, prices go up to accomodate the increase in payroll and payroll taxes. Viscious cycle..

That would be true of any job though. Companies give raises and product prices go up to compensate. I think that anyone here appreciates a raise now and then though.

 

[brerrabbit]

People keep talking about the minimum wage and how it relates to effort, and cost of living. The reality is that minimum wage jobs are minimum wage jobs based on supply and demand. If you have a large, basically unskilled workforce then you have a large pool to choose from and can pay the minimum wage. Value added in a position comes with experience, knowledge and training. McDonalds pays minimum wage because they can train anyone to flip burgers and make fries in a day, so replaceability is easy. As you train, learn store management, advertising, and marketing and people skills they make you a manager and raise your pay because you are not as easily replaceable.

Also remember this one of the largest supporters of minimum wage laws are unions. The reason is similar to one presented here earlier. Unions can tag the value of their workers interms of value above minimum wage such that every hike in the minimum garners a wage increase for their members.

Wages would vary all over the board by location and local economics if not for the minimum wage law. True supply and demand would set wages if not for the artificial introduction of a floor set by federal, state, or local governments.