Over one million people in the U.S. work minimum wage jobs, especially teenagers who need the experience for the future. Pay seems to be lower, and the worker demand is also plummeting. With the need for workers being as low as 3.6 percent in January 2024, this causes distress to those looking for jobs. The pay of people with minimum wage jobs has been the same for the past 13 years. The last update was on July 24, 2009, when the pay was raised to $7.25.

This leads to people arguing that minimum wage is a starting wage, not a living wage, so young adults can gain experience and motivate themselves to get a higher position. However, other people argue that it should keep up with the cost of inflation’s ongoing rise and decline so that people can provide for themselves. 

“They do give opportunities for raises, but for now, I’m starting with the basics,” said senior Brock Reese who recently started a minimum-wage job. 

At Chick-fil-A, the cost of a sandwich meal is $12.09, but pay is $7.25 per hour which is barely half of that price. With this being said, workers would have to work at least two hours to purchase even one meal.

Regardless, most people have agreed that the minimum wage pay should be increased because it is not ideal for living. Up to 64 percent of people voted in a poll held by Data For Progress over whether the minimum wage needs to be increased said that it should be raised. 

In 2025 The U.S. Department of Labor plans to change the pay to $15 according to the Economic Policy Institute. The US Congress should make the change and give people hope that they can be more successful.