Just heard from CNN Headline News, the city of Chicago is trying to make the largest retailers pay a living wage. The hourly pay that was determined to meet this critieria was deemed to be $10.00 per hour, with at least $3.00 per hour in paid benefits (composed of medical coverage, pensions, leave, etc.).

The minimum wage in Illinois is at $6.50, a $1.35 over the national minimum wage mandate of $5.15. How does that translate to annual earnings in pre-tax?? For a standard work-week of 40 hours and for 52 weeks:

• $5.15 hourly = $10,712.00
• $6.50 hourly = $13,520.00
• $10.00 hourly = $20,800.00

Is it constitutional for municipalities to force business to pay minimum wages when there are already federal and state governance? How will that affect business growth within the city itself? Unlike the minimum-wage moniker, the living wage takes into account the cost of living within the local region.



I'm pleased to learn that someone is actually worried about a person's ability to live off their full-time income if making minumum wage. It's highly disturbing to think that a person making the Illinois wage-floor is still well below poverty level... and just barely above what many welfare programs will support.
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References:
State Minimum Wage Levels - http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm
Living Wage Facts - http://www.epinet.org/content.cfm/issuegui...livingwagefacts

Interesting. Well I'd say it's better than just a blanket wage for everyone...kinda.


However I doubt it's really helping anybody but politicians.