The Same Lawmakers Who Back Minimum Wage Hike Don’t Pay Their Interns
Amy Payne /
JESSICA RINALDI/Reuters/Newscom
Wage hikes for thee, but not for me—that appears to be the stance of a lot of Members of Congress.
President Obama is reportedly preparing to tout a minimum wage increase for the second State of the Union in a row, and liberal leaders in Congress have been pushing for it. But the Employment Policies Institute just pulled the curtain back on some of the most entry-level workers in those Members’ own offices.
The Daily Caller reports that only 4 percent of the 210 lawmakers pushing for a minimum wage hike pay their interns. The other lawmakers aren’t paying their interns a dime.
What does this have to do with other workers?
Michael Saltsman, research director at the Employment Policies Institute, told the Caller:
If you created a situation where you all of sudden had to pay for interns, there would be fewer intern positions available. A lot of folks up in Congress don’t seem to realize that the same dynamic applies in the private sector. If you raise the cost of hiring employees, there are going to be fewer opportunities available for workers.
That’s right—the minimum wage affects the availability of those entry-level jobs workers need. Bill Gates, who knows a thing or two about providing jobs for people, recently warned of the “destruction” a minimum wage increase would cause.
>>> See our infographic, “Should We Raise the Minimum Wage?”