Where can I find a non-biased review of the effect of minimum wage increases on unemployment.?

Answer 1

I don't think you can. You'll have to look at them from both sides and decide. The best I've seen on it has been by Walter Williams. He is an accountant.

His thinking is that if you assume that employers will not change if their labor cost go up. Then the minimum wage doesn't cost jobs. But if you assume that employers will adjust for higher labor cost it will cost jobs.

Thomas Sewell also has some good articles on this. I like the one about the real minimum wage which is zero, or the amount people who are unemployed earn.

Answer 2

You are completely wrong. I wish I had time to fully explain it to you, but I don't. I'll just give one quick example and hope you can understand it. If a business has $50 per hour budget for employees and minimum wage is $5 per hour, then the business can hire 10 people (10 x $5 = $50). If minimum wage goes up to $7, then they business can only hire 7 people (7 x $7 = $49). You just cost 3 people their jobs. Raising the minimum wage raises a business's expenses without increasing their income. It is simple math. ...edit... First of all, there is no such thing as a livable wage, it's a myth. The first problem is how do you define livable? Is it living by yourself or sharing an apartment with someone else? Is it driving a new car or a used car? Is it livable for a single person with no kids or a married person with 2 kids? Is it eating basic food or eating junk food and eating out? Is it livable in Florida or livable in New York? If you are alive, then by definition, whatever amount of money you make is "livable". Second of all, people are not paid to live, they are paid for what their labor is worth. Flipping burgers does not take any skill, any idiot can do it, so it isn't worth much. Furthermore, your boss can not sell a hamburger for $2 if he is paying you $20 an hour. The only way he can pay people more is if he reduces his workforce or raises his prices. This is basic math and economics we're talking here. Using an oxymoronic term like "slave wages" just shows that your opinions are based on emotions not on facts and logic. For some reason you hate business people and assume they are all evil. This is a foolish assumption and shows your gross ignorance. Try to set aside your prejudiced assumptions and pick up a math or economics book.