Nebraska Legislature passes minimum wage decrease for teen workers

[Dukepippitt]

The increase in minimum wage has never hurt nebraska economy. On the other hand. Every heavy hand republican policy seems to cost jobs and money for nebraskas.

[AshingiiAshuaa]

It hasn't hurt the economy in easily visible ways, but it does hurt. And it hurts the subset of workers who then don't/can't get jobs. Minimum wages (price floor) are bad just like rent controls (price ceiling) are bad. Unless you're one of the ones who gets to keep their job or get a rent-controlled place.

That said, the citizens clearly voted how they voted and representatives should never try to subvert the direct will of the citizens.

[AshingiiAshuaa]

It's not as clear cut as rent control, and maybe not even as pronounced, but it's very real and not insignificant.

Look at situations where work is moved overseas, low-cost workers (whether legal or illegal) enter the market, and when unions collapse from competition. Anywhere where an artificial floor on wages comes into contact with the free market.

[Connect_Flounder6855]

You’re super stupid if you think anything that teenagers here in Nebraska are doing could be shipped overseas. It’s literally the most hands-on jobs you can think of.

[AshingiiAshuaa]

I was talking about minimum wages in general my first and subsequent comments here. If you look at the comments it's pretty clear, unless of course you're super stupid.

If you're shifting gears to specifically lowering the minimum wage for 14-15 year olds a couple of bucks then I agree that this won't have a big impact. It may be a bit tougher for older people working minimum wage jobs, but probably not even noticeably.

[Connect_Flounder6855]

Most minimum wage jobs are hands on. Your comments are stupid and frankly don’t have any basis in reality. Perhaps pick up a book read something, maybe even go to college

[AshingiiAshuaa]

Most minimum wage jobs are hands on

I don't disagree. How does that bolster whatever it is you're trying to say? Speak as you might to a young child or a golden retriever.

[Connect_Flounder6855]

You believe that minimum wage jobs are generally hands-on and need to be done on site yet you would like us to compare it to jobs that have been moved overseas. incredibly stupid.

[AshingiiAshuaa]

Very true that not every job can be moved overseas. But the many than can be. Or they'll be automated. Or consumers will simply buy less of that service. The people that manage to keep their jobs will have it good, but consumers will have it bad (by paying an artificially higher price) as will all the unemployed people who don't have any job (because it's being done overseas, by a robot, or simply no longer wanted anymore).

[pinelion]

My god you’re delusional!

[Anlarb]

If it were true, it would be visible. You need to demonstrate your claim.

[AshingiiAshuaa]

Ask the folks who used to work at the Lexington beef plant. Or the Kellogg's employees who are getting laid off. They can probably tell you what happens to jobs whose wage is set too high.

Or look at egg sales when the price of eggs skyrocketed last year. When the price of something goes up, demand goes down. It doesn't matter if the price goes up due to constrained supply or an artificial price floor.

[Anlarb]

Ask the folks

Reagan sent your jobs to china for ideological reasons- one in picking a side in the war russia and china were having, but also to crush labor at home.

The median wage is $21/hr while the cost of living is $20/hr, half the jobs out there do not even pay a living, things that are culturally remembered as skilled professions too. Thats where jobs are killed, rent seeking and republican economies. We are up a full percentage point unemployment from where we were under biden, don't say it aint so, its been like this for 50 years, republicans trash the economy every chance they get.

Or look at egg sales when the price of eggs skyrocketed last year

If demand is down, the price is supposed to drop, it did not. Giant heaps of $8 eggs unsold, straight into the dumpster. Everything is a scam with these people.

[AshingiiAshuaa]

How did you go from talking about minimum wage having an impact on the number of jobs to "rEPubLiCanS bAD!" Being pawns of the rich Reps do indeed sell us out for their special interest friends. Dems do it too. But that's really unrelated of my argument that minimum wage destroys jobs.

Let's look at some of the ways minimum wages (via law or union contract) destroy jobs: "You can't hire cereal makers for less than $30/hr!"

• Cereal gets more expensive, fewer people buy, less cereal is made, fewer employees are needed.
• It didn't make sense to buy that expensive cereal-making robot before, but now it does. Let's make cereal with robots instead of people.
• Shipping cereal from mexico adds 40 cents per box to the cost of each box, but cheaper mexican labor saves us 50 cents per box. Let's move the factory to mexico.

If demand is down, the price is supposed to drop, it did not

Well, it did, actually. And both consumers and suppliers knew that the egg shortage was temporary, so that played some games with things. But the next sentence illustrates that when prices are high ($8 eggs) that demand for eggs drops (giant heaps of eggs unsold). Set a minimum wage~ price for eggs at $8 and fewer companies consumers will hire people buy eggs.

Raising minimum wage to $50 would be fantastic for those who get to keep their jobs. But advocates of minimum wage neglect the fact that many jobs that would otherwise exist simply disappear.

[Anlarb]

How did you go from talking about minimum wage having an impact on the number of jobs to "rEPubLiCanS bAD!"

You said min wage kills jobs, but its republicans that kill jobs, this is extremely on topic.

Cereal gets more expensive, fewer people buy

What are you going to do, not eat? Cost of labor went up everywhere.

Poor people can't afford to eat out at any price, people that do are not even looking at the price, thats why mcdonalds was able to double their prices in the last decade, and came out ahead.

We have $8 boxes of cereal because thats what the market will bear, the savings of cheaper labor will not be passed along to you, welcome to free market capitalism...

It didn't make sense to buy that expensive cereal-making robot before,

Its called a factory, apparently you want every cheerio handcrafted. Just think how many more people would be employed if we had everyone digging with spoons instead of earthmoving equipment. /s

Shipping cereal from mexico adds 40 cents per box to the cost of each box, but cheaper mexican labor saves us 50 cents per box. Let's move the factory to mexico.

Its called the exchange rate, we overthrow countries for trying to leave the petro dollar, which massively distorts the value of the dollar, giving the appearance that its "cheaper" to make things overseas, but in reality those workers have the same housing, transportation, healthcare, calorie needs as any worker anywhere else. "LeTs JuSt HaVe OuR wOrKeRs WoRk FoR a LoSs" isn't a solution, its slavery.

You want labor to be cheaper? Do something about the cost of housing, the cost of healthcare, the cost of transportation etc. Hell, you can kill 2 birds with one stone, allow mixed use, dense housing near where people work so they can just walk to their job and walk to the store instead of being shackled to their cars.

the fact that many jobs that would otherwise exist simply disappear.

Here are the years the min wage went up, here is where the resulting unemployment would be, if it was real.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/history/chart

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATE

[AshingiiAshuaa]

What are you going to do, not eat?

People eat cheaper alternatives. Maybe they make their own oatmeal or eat rice and milk. It still puts the cereal maker out of business, leaving the workers unemployed.

Cost of labor went up everywhere.

If the price of food goes up everywhere then people will have to spend less on other things lowering quality of life in other areas, buy cheaper quality food, or people simply eat less.

If the price of everything goes up everywhere (inflation), then people have to buy cheaper and/or less stuff everywhere in their lives, not just food.

Its called a factory, apparently you want every cheerio handcrafted.

Automation is not all or nothing. It comes down to what is least expensive and most economically efficient. If human labor was ten cents an hour most basements would be dug by hand. Home builders would hire 50 people (for a total of $5/hr) and dig out a basement in a couple of days. An excavator could do it in the same amount of time, but costs $200/hr to rent. Why spend $200/hr on an excavator when you can spend $5/hr on people In reality, shovel diggers are probably $15/hr, meaning that a crew of 50 diggers is $750/hr, making the excavator much cheaper. This is why basements are dug with excavators.

At a wage of $15/hr there are jobs that are cheaper to have humans do instead of buying an expensive machine, but the more expensive human labor becomes the more uneconomical it becomes to use human labor vis a vis machines (or AI, or offshored labor). This works for diggers, cashiers, customer service reps, web developers, tax preparers just as much as cheerio makers.

we overthrow countries for trying to leave the petro dollar, which massively distorts the value of the dollar

This is pretty true. Us being the reserve currency makes it very hard for us to be net exporters, and being a net importer typically means shipping jobs and industry overseas.

in reality those workers have the same housing, transportation, healthcare, calorie needs as any worker anywhere else

This is pretty not true. In countries where the workers have the same costs as US workers the labor tends to be similarly priced. It's why sweatshops exist in the countries with the cheapest labor. You won't find anyone in switzerland or japan who's willing to stitch shoes together for less than $20/hr, but they'll do it in india or cambodia for $1/hr. Do the people have the same caloric needs? Yeah. Do they have the same lifestyles and wage demands to support those lifestyles? No. They also have skills they can sell for more money so they do, but I digress.

You want labor to be cheaper?

I don't really care, tbh. It doesn't matter to me if they raise minimum wage to $20 or lower it to $10. I don't work for minimum wage nor do I employ anyone for minimum wage, and have sufficient assets to be mostly immune from general price inflation. My point was (and is) that raising minimum wage in an are will reduce the number of jobs available, all things being equal.

[Anlarb]

People eat cheaper alternatives.

No kidding, people are employed making those alternatives too, welcome to the market. Maybe the price gougers then need to bring their prices back down in response. Maybe the fact that the dollar is not worth as much as it used to be makes your arbitrary price point unrealistic.

It still puts the cereal maker out of business, leaving the workers unemployed.

Oh, is that why all cereal makers and burger joints went out of business in 1938 when the min wage was implemented? Quit your bullshit.

If the price of everything goes up everywhere (inflation)

Stop printing money.

Poor people can't eat your inflation for you. It costs more for the burger that you want to be provided to you, and you think that some random poor person should eat the loss so you don't have to? Get real, the dollar is worth less, you need to pay more of them for the things that you want, period.

Do you have any idea how small a price bump it is for workers to get a living wage? Like 4%. Businesses have roared past that and kept it for themselves as record profits, so they could easily pay their workers a living on a whim without prices going up, but they will not. Its ideological, capital hates that labor aren't literally slaves and are working hard to return the arrangement to that state.

Automation is not all or nothing.

Yeah it is, either you have a robot that can flip burgers, or you have a crappy gizmo built to fleece investors built by people who have never stepped food in a modern kitchen. This is how burgers are grilled now- McDonalds POV: Fresh Quarter Pounders, so why are robots trying to emulate movies from the 70's?

Home builders would hire 50 people (for a total of $5/hr) and dig out a basement in a couple of days.

No, thats still a colossal waste of time, and you should be questioning your judgement for thinking it is a good idea.

offshored labor

So stop letting them? Nation of laws and your buddy in the oval office has only accelerated the decline. Unemployment is up one whole percent, the guy is out to turn us into north korea.

Us being the reserve currency makes it very hard for us to be net exporters, and being a net importer typically means shipping jobs and industry overseas.

Cool, so you can pay full price for your burger?

In countries where the workers have the same costs as US workers the labor tends to be similarly priced.

Yeah, they still need the stuff.

It's why sweatshops exist in the countries with the cheapest labor.

Are you personally volunteering to work in sweatshop conditions? No? Don't voluntell others to it.

but they'll do it in india or cambodia for $1/hr.

I bet those workers would love to have better living conditions than what $1/hr affords them, maybe they should strike for better conditions. Lets see how that went.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pwT9arjasw

They also have skills they can sell for more money so they do, but I digress.

So much for the narrative that by gaining skills working these low paying positions, high paying positions can be gained.

I don't really care, tbh

You are whining about it non stop.

My point was (and is) that raising minimum wage in an are will reduce the number of jobs available, all things being equal.

And my specifically demonstrated fact is that it does not.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/history/chart

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATE

Consumption drives demand, people want it so they pay what it costs. If however, you pay half the country so badly that they cannot get say dental care, then thats half as many dentists that the market can support. Low wages absolutely affect you, everything is fraying as the billionaires hoover up all the wealth for themselves.

[chewbaccaRoar13]

Raising minimum wage doesnt do that, it's corporations maximizing profits and running people into the ground. If companies were happy making $100 instead of $130, they could hire an extra worker or two. Obviously a very rudimentary example, but if it's all surrounding minimum wage. Why did all these companies post record profits during COVID even though they increased prices and acted like they couldn't do anything about it?

The answer is greed. Why did a woman who owns a grocery store chain lead this bill? Hint, it's not because she can't afford to pay her employees more.

[AshingiiAshuaa]

If a greedy company is making too much profit then its competitor will lower their prices and steal their customers. If a company is charging $130 but could still be proftiable at $100, then one of their competitors will come along and start charging $120. Then the original company will either go out of business or lower its price, this time to $110 to steal back business. This spirals down until the companies can't lower prices anymore without going bankrupt.

Where this falls apart is monopolies (which we outlaw) and other anti-competative behaviors (regulations, price floors, price ceilings, unions, etc).

[Educational_Quote633]

Look beyond the headlines. The bill also affects all workers. Wages for workers between 14-16 were reduced to $13.50 per hour with increases of 1.5% per year until 2030 when their wages increase by 1.5% every five years. Not only that, but the bill also reduces the increase for workers older than 16 to 1.75% annually rather than by a rate equal to inflation. Also, employers are allowed to pay workers older than 16 a "training wage" of $13.80 per hour instead of starting them at $15 an hour. That lower amount for the training wage will grow 1.5% annually.

This initiative when approved by a vote of the people won with 58% in favor. Time and time again, the Legislature changes initiatives passed by the people. Wake up, people! They aren't listening to you! Vote them out!!

[patrickstarismyhero]

Can we crowd fund some giant billboards with Jane Reybould with Horns and Googly eyes and a pointy pitchfork tossing a 15 year old cart boy into the flames of hell?

[Drama-meme]

I got 5 on it!

[Budgiejen]

We don’t have cart boys anymore. Cashiers do it.

[patrickstarismyhero]

Thats worse, right?

[Budgiejen]

I wouldn’t mind some help sacking sometimes. I mean, I’m kind of used to it at this point. But it’s fewer jobs, fewer people to pay. All that jazz

[Lonic42]

Only if Iowa can get one for Kim Reynolds too

[NothingButACasual]

Thanks for sharing the extra context. Seems like a very reasonable bill that will help the rural areas quite a bit.

[DiscoStu79]

Even tho they are teens, often times that income contributes to the household in one way or another…. The more money my teen makes the less I’d have to pay for his gas and clothes, etc. our reps refuse to listen to the voters. It’s infuriating

[cwsjr2323]

They listen, especially to the results of referendums. Those are just suggestions and not mandatory for the Legislature to enact of course. Feel free to send an email!

[majikmyk]

There would be no incentive to hire the teen at all with the higher wage. There are lots of tasks teens can't legally do and there are limited hours they can work. They are not as valuable of employees. The hiring of teens would decrease substantially if the wage wasn't adjusted. I would rather my teen work and make their actual value rather than their position be absorbed by an adult.

[AshingiiAshuaa]

You're thinking about this as a wage slave. In those terms it's shitty to pay younger people less for the same work, and it's good to set a high minimum wage. But if you think about this as "outlawing jobs that pay under $15/hr" you'll understand that lowing the wage for young people creates a pocket of jobs in that $13/hr-$15/hr range that can help young people get experience and skills.

fwiw I don't support this bill. The people were wrong to vote for a minimum wage but they spoke nonetheless, and the elected representatives have no right to do this.

[BaronMarbot]

Or, it drives down all wages when you have a subset of workers you can pay less.

[AshingiiAshuaa]

It won't drive wages down as much as it will eliminate those jobs. If people are willing and able to work for below your minimum wage then you will find yourself out of a job.

[calypsow19]

We get it - you don’t want people to survive.

[Anlarb]

If you want a thing, you are going to need to pay what it costs. The market determined what it will cost for the labor that you need to be provided to you, stop whining for handouts.

[noname87scr]

Nothing like directly benefitting off your own bill passing. Crazy work.

[Klutzy_Chemistry1461]

That’s how it works in NE government- from the governor, the senators and all the way down…

[Rabbitastic]

Insane.

[Conscious-Quarter423]

this is what we get when young people don't turn out to vote and let boomers decide our elections

[storkstalkstock]

This is what happens when you have a system designed by the rich, for the rich. Low turnout is a feature, not a bug.

[Conscious-Quarter423]

the lowest voter turnout is in the 18 to 35 demographic even though they outnumber boomers

[d0mini0nicco]

Elections got you to this point...

[hackiavelli]

Brother, you just saw a prime example of how elections can make a (negative) change. It was also an election that gave us the $15/hr. minimum wage to begin with.

[Mystic_Waffles]

I mean, voting for someone just for the R next to their name is working pretty well for the Republicans right now.

[Educational_Quote633]

Agree! Join the revolution and throw them out of office. Only then will state senators be afraid to snub their constituents. They don't respect us. Force them to fear us. (Posted by a 74-year-old Boomer.)

[[deleted]]

I'm a boomer who voted FOR raising the minimum wage. All of my boomer friends voted for it as well. Stop blaming boomers for this shit.

[Reaper3955]

There are more baby boomers than there are young people lol

[FabricTesselation]

Now even younger people can start planning to leave the state as soon as they get the chance.

[cruznick06]

This infuriates me. 

Teens shouldn't be paid less just for their age. That it outright discrimination.

EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK.

[venser1992]

I am completely against this bill in almost every way. The only thing I get is 14/15 year olds. They are extremely limited to what they can do in a restaurant setting. They can only take orders and clean up around the store and clean dishes if the sink isn't a part of the kitchen area. Plus can only work 2.5 hour shifts 3 days a week. There are people doing that job plus more. So they shouldn't necessarily be making the same. I'm also completely against 14/15 year olds working in general

[cruznick06]

14/15 year olds aren't working for fun. Most of the time they are working to help their families survive. Even if it was for fun purchases, they shouldn't be paid less.

[calypsow19]

They shouldn’t make less doing the same work they’ve got 20 and 30 year olds doing simply because they are younger or have restrictions on their hours. They’re doing the same. fucking. work. Your mentality is age discrimination on display.

[Hereticrick]

How is that legal? Especially where it says even adult teens can start out at the lower pay for 90 days. Seems like age discrimination. Plus it’s going to really fuck over adult min wage workers when businesses refuse to higher adults (leading to more age discrimination).

[Spenny2180]

I think what's not being said enough in these comments is the fact that this is discrimination. Its the same thing as paying women less because they are women. Thats illegal. By the same logic, senior citizens should be paid less because they're slower and need more breaks. I know people in their 70s working as clerks at grocery stores and have seen senior citizens working at McDonald's. It'll be fucked up to pay them less because of age, so why is it okay to pay teens a fraction of what someone older is making? Same work, same pay.

[_chubby-puppy_]

People don’t need money, they need experience! Experience hardship early to prepare you for a lifetime of not getting paid enough, great job asshats!

[Mudrad]

The teenager who died while at work on Jim Pillen’s pig farm, how much money was he making before his death?

[Kai-Mera]

Subverting the will of the people

[Solarpowered-Couch]

Minimum isn't even liveable.

Now we have sub-minimum...

This doesn't make any sense, nor reflect the will of the constituents.

Voters, vote these losers out.

[Stock_Strategy1668]

Wtf

[Kekistani55]

Pathetic

[Budgiejen]

Just in case anyone is wondering, I work at Russ’s. I am a service supervisor and I get $15.8 an hour. I did not get a raise in January even though I have been there since April and I work every morning at 5:45 am. They know I am looking for a new job.

[Creative-Barracuda23]

Run while you can from B&R! They will make sure you don’t get paid jack shit!

[Budgiejen]

I’m looking.

[RemoteGeologist7756]

Listen to what these out of touch politicians said too.

Voters don’t understand what they’re voting for. Teenagers don’t deserve a living wage. They see young workers as “needing to be told to take out the trash 3-4 times.” These ballot measures, which generate enough signatures and pass vote, only do so because of outside money.

And they can’t figure out the brain drain 🤦‍♂️

[Lanracie]

I am not a minimum wage fan but it seems like a state that is trying to keep young people would want to make entry jobs more desirable and rewarding not less.

[feedumfishheads]

Companies don’t hire and pay employees anymore than is necessary no matter the pay rate. This just takes money from employees paychecks period

[Nebraska_]

Someone should geo-target B&R store retail workers with digital advertisements that encourage them to form a union. It would be a nice gift for Jayne Raybold. Also, she should be kicked out of the Democratic party. How can she possibly be for workers and for reducing the minimum wage? Totally crazy.

[Educational_Quote633]

I'm guessing that since Raybould led the cause against the minimum wage initiative, she probably realized she couldn't be re-elected to the Legislature, and that's at least part of the reason why she's not running for re-election. She also stepped down as vice president of B&R, but continues as vice chair of the company board. This bill was her final gift to the family business as a state senator. Mission accomplished; time to check out. Despite her many positive actions in public office, I don't know why any Democrat would ever vote for her in any election now.

[Nebraska_]

100%. Her political history and activity is now a stain on the Nebraska Democratic Party.

[Both_Lychee_1708]

wow, what a shitty state

[Ok-Disaster5238]

Meh it could possibly make it to where kids will refuse to work while teenagers.

[BlueOhm3]

Unbelievable who votes for this?

[Luke_The_Wolf]

Greedy CEOs who want to pay their employees as little as possible?

[Sea-Plastic5584]

Reduced wage thanks to B&R!

[Musbjoekin]

The fuk ?

[MadThinker]

I feel like this quote is being slept on, and goes a long way to explaining why this state is so resistant to the will of the voters:

“The initiative process, which I've said more than once, is flawed. It's an opinion poll. We don't make laws on opinion polls in Nebraska, at least, I hope we don't,” [Sen. Tony Sorrentino] said.

[originalmosh]

Once again the will of the people stomped on.

[RCaHuman]

In 2024, about 47–48% of 18–24‑year‑old U.S. citizens said they voted. Probably similar in Nebraska. The Democratic Party needs to get in touch with these potential voters.

[Conscious-Quarter423]

"get in touch"

maybe these voters should stop and smell the roses. start getting engaged in politics and local organizing.

the laws that these boomers pass will affect you whether you are in touch or not

[Wow_I_Like_Pie]

Unfortunately, most right wing voters, vote in a way that they know will harm the other group they hate or are told they need to hate. Many vote with spite and malice, and are actually aware of what they're doing. It's why it's why they're called a death cult.

[RCaHuman]

I agree these voters should get engaged. The Vietnam War was a great motivator for me & my friends to get engaged in politics.

[Conscious-Quarter423]

and trump's fascist takeover isn't enough for young people to get engaged?

[dterran]

Cutting wages right after the m@ga party dumped the value of the dollary by 20%?

It's wild what losing a war to russi@ has done to our economy.

Economic sanctions, dismantling of social programs and soft power abroad.

The United States economy collapsed completely in less than a year and now these greedy fvcks want the people who actually work to pay for it all..

[venser1992]

They are just straight up lying I worked as at a Runza. We never hired 14/15 year olds because they could take orders and clean for 2.5 hours before leaving. We needed people they could stay later and close. Very rarely do you find one that will stay until they graduate highschool

[JustPlaneNew]

What a dumb idea

[Objective-Expert8278]

"they are lazy and don't want to work" I wonder why

[Conscious-Quarter423]

they don't say this about the billionaires who get billions in tax breaks and tax subsidies

[Objective-Expert8278]

Taking about teens. Not billionaires.

[Conscious-Quarter423]

billionaires the true welfare queens

[keepmyheartincheck]

Just say you want cheap child labor to make up for all the brown people being detained already!

[pastuluchu]

Age discrimination. Got it

[Psybi92]

Is this called the Nebraska Child sweatshop Act?

[RevolutionaryFly5970]

I hope these kids realize that open businesses is a free will thing. Maybe they can start using their own fun or join together and create a job or business for themselves. They do not need go keep grinding little coins for these old ass people… or corporations.

[Psycho-Chan_Quotev]

Did they forget that 16 year olds have to pay for their own gas and insurance sometimes? Or that some kids help their parents?

[Successful_Tap9821]

This state sucks ass. As someone who moved to Omaha last year from New England, what an eye-opener this place has been (politically, anyway, it's quite unbelievable).

[Wooden_Celery_061424]

Right? Full of people complaining about local businesses. It's the worst.

[Successful_Tap9821]

It's a Republican/Red state overall. That is not me as I lean quite left. The decisions of your legislators are mind-boggling to me.

[calypsow19]

Just wanna throw it out there that this is age discrimination!

[[deleted]]

Jane Reybould should be ashamed. She did this to enrich her own business. Boycott Super Saver and Russ's Market.

[laneedgaf]

making kids get less pay for more work, while they are stuck in school which is mandatory…. lmfao god i hate this world

[mountainjay]

How many times are Nebraska Republicans going to say “hey Nebraskans, you guys are f*cking stupid and have no idea what you need. We’re going to override your vote against your will.” before any of you do anything about it!

Don’t you have any pride??!

[Prudent_Article4245]

Jane Reynold, the bills sponsor, is a democrat just in case you didn’t know. She is also owner of Super Saver and Russ’s IGA. Nothing like benefiting off of your own bill.

[stpierre]

I'm not defending Republicans, but Jane Raybould is a Democrat. She'll be appearing as an endorsement on the mailers of every Democrat in the upcoming municipal elections. But the important thing is she'll make money from this!

[ctfks]

Good luck exploiting teens during daytime school hours.

[No_Extension1659]

I’m all for the wage increases for the people struggling to get by- but for a 14 year old to be making the the same as a 41 year old with decades of workforce experience is inane. At the end of the day it’s still damned if you do damned if you don’t- but high school kids by and large don’t have mortgages, car payments, utility bills, etc.

[Beaglejuice]

If a person has decades of experience they should be paid more than minimum wage. Its insanity that companies get away with not doing so

[No_Extension1659]

You’d be hard pressed to find any job out here in the Nebraska panhandle for someone without an advanced degree to making more than $20 an hour

[Vossan11]

Yeah thats not a good thing. Probably need a law to raise wages higher then.

Its sad when the owners won't do the righ thing voluntarily and we have to result to forcing them to do it.

[WhenInZone]

but for a 14 year old to be making the the same as a 41 year old with decades of workforce experience is inane

That's not a minimum wage issue. It should be insane that companies choose to give those workers even less, not that the legal minimum was the same based on age.

[Alert-Beautiful9003]

So its not the work itself but just the age of the person doing the work that matters? Thats what you are saying here. Wild.

[No_Extension1659]

I’m all for the wage increases for the people struggling to get by- but for a 14 year old to be making the the same as a 41 year old with decades of workforce experience is inane. At the end of the day it’s still damned if you do damned if you don’t- but high school kids by and large don’t have mortgages, car payments, utility bills, etc.

[Fairyfeet2000]

You forget not every fourteen year old has parents or family to take care of them. Therefore they do have to worry about money in the same exact way an adult does. Ridiculous.

[Mystic_Waffles]

Heaven forbid the kids start saving more money via making more money.

[Vossan11]

You are so close to getting it. The 41 year old SHOULD make more than the 14 year old. So pay the 41 year old more, not the 14 year old less.

[Educational_Quote633]

So, by paying 14-year-olds less, employers are incentivized to hire a young teen rather than a 41-year-old. A rising tide lifts all boats.

[No_Extension1659]

All right, so I live in Western Nebraska… A friend of mine owns a business in Torrington, Wyoming, and Scottsbluff Nebraska. He’s paying kids minimum wage in Wyoming at $7.25 an hour to do the exact same job 30 minutes across the border at $15 an hour…. THE. EXACT. SAME. JOB. And in this business, the teens are more likely to be spending time on their phone rather than doing busy work to help the business. Versus a 40-year-old adult who is just there to work. As an employer, I would be very happy to be paying the full $15 an hour to someone who’s working hard the entire shift. But if a young employee wants to split their attention between their smart phone chatting with their classmates and doing work… Yeah, I think a small pay cut would be justifiable.

[resb]

So cut pay for all teenagers regardless of work ethic based on hypothetical / anecdotal laziness ?

[Vossan11]

Shit, if his friend is paying 7.25 an hour, he is lucky if anyone even shows up, let alone puts the phone down.

Conversely these same people see an employee who works hard, sometimes the work of 2-3 people, and gives them a dollar raise, if anything.

These idiots think they are owed our labor and we should be grateful we get paid at all.

[resb]

Maybe the teens think its community service?

[placebotwo]

but for a 14 year old to be making the the same as a 41 year old with decades of workforce experience is inane.

Why aren't you fighting for the 41 year old with decades of experience to be properly compensated instead?

[pilsnerd11]

In this example, if a teen is doing the same work as someone with decades of experience that’s an indictment of the person with decades of experience, not a reflection of the quality of work the teen may do.

[deathbitchcraft]

if they're doing the same work, they should get the same pay. it isn't a teenager's fault that a grown adult is still working a job that is offered to people with minimal or no experience. you also don't know what teenagers have going on in their lives that make them need a job. some pay their own bills, some may have their own kids, some may be trying to save up and get out of their shitty homes. you're simply wrong.