Teens and Jobs

Summer jobs for teens are difficult to find; so are full time positions. No surprise there. What is a surprise is that the article on the reasons for the difficulty never mentions the mandated minimum wage. The fact is that most teen employment is not absolutely necessary to any business. A business owner’s decision is to hire some kids to help out with the lower end of the tasks involved or not spend the money. It is a financial decision that is made more difficult in this economy. But the decision cannot be made based upon what it is worth to the owner but the owner has to pay the wage the government says must be paid with the result that fewer kids get hired. Less than 3% of employees make the minimum wage. The biggest beneficiaries are the unions who have wage increase based upon the minimum rate. Time to dump this feel good idea.