imchasingentropy OP t1_jef5ssg wrote on March 31, 2023 at 3:48 PM

Reply to comment by WildMajesticUnicorn in NJs wealth inequality continues to get worse. Why should we be surprised when our governor is a banker? by imchasingentropy

Fair but irrelevant. With the cost of NJ no one even hires at minimum wage anymore. No place can compete with the labor market at 15 an hour and even those are struggling to hire.

Combined with the fact that minimum wage today is further from a living wage than minimum wage 20 years ago was and minimum wage at 14 is a joke and more lip service.

WildMajesticUnicorn t1_jefde78 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 4:37 PM

It’s just not true that no one hires at minimum wage. While minimum wage is not a living wage, increasing wages several dollars per hour for the lowest income earners is a policy aimed at decreasing the wealth gap.

imchasingentropy OP t1_jefey9o wrote on March 31, 2023 at 4:47 PM

I'm currently looking for work and out of the hundreds of places I've been to/applied to, none pay less than 15. Wawa, Walmart, McDonald's, every major employer. Maybe you can find the one small business trying to pay less, but it's not an indicator of the market as a whole.

And minimum wage does nothing to stop wealth inequality. Until companies do not have an incentive to pass along prices to consumers or exploit the labor market, the only thing minimum wage does is increase inflation.