Originally Posted by
Cute Boy Horse
Any work done by a human being justifies minimum wage. That's why it's called minimum wage, it's the minimum that wage labour costs to buy, what we tie to the idea that if someone is paid less then they'll starve, and starved people can't come in to work. Any weaselly "well do you justify it?" talk is undermining the whole concept.
As it is minimum wage is so damn low that it's basically a subsidy for businesses. Don't pay the full cost of running the humans that run your workplace, and then the government picks up the difference with food stamps, section 8 housing and god knows what else. Have to be a double scrooge to loophole your way out of paying such a meagre amount when the state is already having to keep your inadequately paid employees alive.
Ill speak in generalities here, but lets give it a try.
Those who are mentally too limited to be paid minimum wage will be on SSi. Not SSDi, but SSi as they havemt paid i to the system due to not being able to. With those SSi benefits comes healthcare and housing assistance(group home with 24hr caretaker setup).
Over $120 or so in earnings per month(dpnt qupte that, but its close), the person has their SSi reduced for work performed. If they earn too much, they no longer qualify for the assistance beyond monetary conpensation.
I wpuld say that the situation would in fact be worse if they were paid too much to qualify and therefore didnt have the housing and medical assistance.
To the employer's side- if 3 people with mental limitations do the work of 1 fully capable minimum wage earner, then to pay each of them minimum wage wouldnt happen. Instead, 1 fully capable person wpuld work. This doesnt benefit those 3 partially capable people as there are numerous studies which clearly tie worth of self and life satisfaction to being a contributong member of society.
This can completely be seen as a company(or nonprofit) taking advantage of the disabled, or it can be seen as the best of a less than ideal situation. The alternative os no better for those low wage earners.
I wont comment on the section8 claim, food stamps, or any of the pther hot button phrases you mentioned.