Is the National Minimum Wage Ageist?

[Davros]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/employment/employees/thenationalminimumwage/dg_10027201

should an 18-20 year old who is doing exactly the same job/task as a 21 year old be paid £1.10 an hour less?

In this day and age could this be considered ageist?

 

[MK Shrimper]

Absolutely it is, however how many people doing the same job in both the public & private sector are being paid differing amounts? How many women are paid less than men for doing the same job?

On the plus side however I guess it could entice employers to employ unskilled young people.

 

[Neil_F]

it would be better for 18 - 20 year olds if the minimum wage were abolished.

A lot of entitlements are based on age: pension, free bus pass, winter fuel allowance etc.

 

[Davros]

Absolutely it is, however how many people doing the same job in both the public & private sector are being paid differing amounts? How many women are paid less than men for doing the same job?

On the plus side however I guess it could entice employers to employ unskilled young people.

i agree, but for policy to be so blatent about it is unusual

 

[Napster]

it would be better for 18 - 20 year olds if the minimum wage were abolished.

A lot of entitlements are based on age: pension, free bus pass, winter fuel allowance etc.

Completely agree. It's holding companies back from employing youngsters.

 

[Rayleigh Weir]

In the current work climate, I'd say it's a definite advantage to belong to a demographic that makes you more employable than a more expensive resource demographic. Young unemployed folk often complain that they are given no 'foot in the door' to get themselves into employment*, this minimum wage loophole is one method of doing that... But then, in the glass half full, half empty discussion I've always been a 'more room for beer' kind of guy...

*Not denigrating this complaint - it's perfectly valid.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

In the current work climate, I'd say it's a definite advantage to belong to a demographic that makes you more employable than a more expensive resource demographic. Young unemployed folk often complain that they are given no 'foot in the door' to get themselves into employment*, this minimum wage loophole is one method of doing that... But then, in the glass half full, half empty discussion I've always been a 'more room for beer' kind of guy...

*Not denigrating this complaint - it's perfectly valid.

It's ever since we went metric....

 

[Davros]

In the current work climate, I'd say it's a definite advantage to belong to a demographic that makes you more employable than a more expensive resource demographic. Young unemployed folk often complain that they are given no 'foot in the door' to get themselves into employment*, this minimum wage loophole is one method of doing that... But then, in the glass half full, half empty discussion I've always been a 'more room for beer' kind of guy...

*Not denigrating this complaint - it's perfectly valid.

i suppose when looked at from that perspective it isn't such a terrible thing