Who benefits from a minimum wage hike?
By Brooks Jackson/CNN WASHINGTON — Congress is considering raising the federal minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $6.15 an hour, a move that would benefit perhaps 10 million low-wage workers. Senate Democrats are pushing for the increase. “It’s time to stop forcing parents who work in minimum wage jobs to choose between being good parents and being good providers. It’s time to stop squeezing every last nickel out of the minimum wage. It’s time to raise it and raise it the right way: $1 over two years with targeted tax cuts for small business that are fully paid for,” said Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle on Monday. But in today’s hot job market, an increase in the minimum wage wouldn’t help workers like those who wash cars at Classic Auto Salon in Rockville, Maryland. “I wouldn’t even consider paying somebody that level because we’re not going to get the level of employee,” said Bob Seidner, the owner of the car wash. In today’s market Seidner says he has to pay at least $8 an hour
