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Improving the Situation of Working Americans
The working population is significant for the growth of the American economy, and the
government should ensure that the working conditions and lives of workers are improved
continuously. There are various public policies that the government can enact to improve the
situation of working Americans, but this essay will focus on two policies; increasing the federal
minimum wage and allowing all workers to earn paid sick days.
Most working Americans especially the lowest paid are finding it difficult to make ends
meet and raising the federal minimum wage would give them a boost. Over the past forty years,
the economy has improved because of the increased productivity of the workers, but the
inflation-adjusted value of the minimum wage has reduced by about thirty percent (Madland &
Walter). An increase in the minimum wage would not only help the income for the low-earners
but also cause a spill-over effect because companies will have to increase the salaries of workers
slightly above the minimum wage to maintain their relative position. Furthermore, a rise in the
minimum wage helps to improve the economy as it gives the workers a better purchasing power.
Another policy is allowing each worker to earn paid sick days. Most low-end workers do
not get paid when they take days off because of illness, and the government should implement a
policy that ensures that every worker gets paid sick days. This would provide a better job
