Dear President,

How can we prevent the minimum wage for women and what are the effects of low minimum wage? Over the past years, women's hourly wages have been 84 percent lower than men though both sexes have the same occupation and working hours (Krogstad, Jens Manuel, PewResearchCenter). According to the article, it was said that women's minimum wage is $7.25 and wants to raise it up to $12.00 per hour. If the minimum wage is raised, mostly women would benefit from the raise and it would also reduce child poverty among single parents.

Women’s wages compared to men’s wages with same occupation and working hours are 84 percent lower than men. Between 2014 and 2015 the number of percentage gone up was only one percent difference, women working full hours still get paid 80 percent. According to IWPR it will take about 44 years until women would finally get same pay as men with this currently slow pace at equalizing wages according to “Pay Equity & Discrimination” Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Women have made great strides to have the same occupation as men, but there have been little progress of raising the wage to women and gender integration. We want to decrease the disparity between wages of of women and men.

The average minimum wage for women is $7.25 and we want to raise it up to $12.00 per hour. Women especially of color gets low minimum wage, women of color are 23 percent part of the low minimum wage workers. For tipped-workers the minimum wage hasn't changed since 1968 and the Congress only raised the wage five times. The way we could help raise the minimum wage for women is closing the gender wage gap and put an end to inequality. The ones who would benefit from the wage are women.

Women are the ones who would benefit from the raise and child poverty would be put an end to. According to NCCP almost 15 million children live with families with low wages in the United States. Poverty can make the children's inability to learn and provide social and emotional problems. The Economic Policy Institute states that if the minimum wage is to go up more than 35 million workers would be benefitted and 55 percent of the workers would be women. Though others think that raising minus wage would affect employers.

Some worry that employers might have to raise their product's price in order to get enough income for their employers and their company might shut down with the lack of customers. Another con would be the lack of employers, because the minimum wage would be enough for a certain amount of employers and also depends on how well their products are being sold. Continuing on with not enough employers, there will also be firing other employers and according to CBO “raising minimum wage to $10.00 and hour would result in the loss of approximately 500,000 jobs. The last con would be a possibility of increased labor market competition for minimum wage jobs (Maverick, J.B.. Investopedia. Raising low wages would prevent child poverty and help low income families especially women.

Women had the right to vote but still don't have the equal pay as men, and there's also been a national debate about needing to raise pay so family can earn a living not only from men’s wage. Though raising wage would mean increasing prices, the impact of raises would be more positive. Others say raising the minimum wage would still not help child poverty because there are low skilled workers. But low skilled workers or not, raising the wage would still help their family even though it will be a little difference. If the minimum wage is raised it would benefit women, poor families, and prevent child poverty especially single parents.

Sincerely

Melinda Chang