Raising the minimum wage.

The federal minimum wage has been the focus of intense debate ever since its inception during the Depression, in 1938. That year, the minimum wage was set at 25 cents an hour. It has been raised 19 times since, over the objections of opponents who say that higher minimums hurt job creation, especially for the young and unskilled.

Since the last hike in the federal minimum wage, in 1997, repeated attempts to raise it further have been defeated in Congress. The most recent defeat was last October.

However, 17 states and the District of Columbia have opted to raise their minimum wages above that of the federal government. The graph at the right shows the minimum wage in each of those jurisdictions.

This graph shows the difference between the federal minimum wage and the minimum wage in 17 states and the District of Columbia. Use the data to anwer the questions below.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ANALYZE THE GRAPH

1. In January, Hawaii's minimum wage was increased by 8 percent above its 2005 level. What was Hawaii's minimum wage in 2005?

(a) $6.25

(b) $6.30

(c) $6.20

(d) $6.35

2. Assume a 4g-hour workweek for art questions. How much more a week would a minimum-wage worker in Illinois earn each week than a minimum-wage worker in New Jersey? $--

3. Most workers earn much more than the minimum wage. How much would a store clerk in Oregon earn each week if her salary was 25 percent above that state's minimum wage?

(a) $390.00

(b) $405.00

(c) $385.00

(d) $375.00

4. The federal minimum for teens is 90 cents an hour less for the first 90 days on the job than the regular minimum wage. What is the teen minimum wage? $--

5. In 2005, the poverty line for a three-person family in Alaska was $20,110. How much below that line would such a family be if they earned Alaska's minimum wage? $--

6. The buying power of the minimum wage differs from place to place because of differences in the cost of living. For example, the cost of living in Wilmington, Del., is 6 percent higher than in Bangor, Maine. But Maine's minimum wage is $--a year higher than Delaware's. EXTRA CREDIT > Use this information to write a brief essay about the minimum wage.

ANSWER KEY

1. [a] $6.25

2. $14.00

3. [d] $375

4. $4.25

5. $5,238

6. $728