Saturday, September 13, 2008

3: Countdown to Constitution Day

Today's Topic: The 27th Amendment

27th Amendment: Congress must limit when and how much its members are paid. 1992.

On January 9, 2008, many elected federal employess got a 2.5% COLA (cost of living) increase. Their last raise was in January 2006.

Congress members annual salaries were raised from $165,200 to $169,300.

Associate Supreme Court Justices annual salaries were raised from $203,000 to $208,100.

Chief Justice John Robert's annual salary was raised from $212,100 to $217,400.

Vice-President Dick Cheney's annual salary was raised from $215,700 to $221,100.

President George W. Bush did not get a raise. The president's annual salary $400,000.

The Fair Labor Standards Act sets the federal minimum wage. The federal minimum wage will be raised from $6.55/hr (05/27/07) to $7.25/hr (07/24/09).

Some cities and states passed laws to make their local businesses pay their employees a higher local minimum wage to match the living expenses in their area. For example:
  • Workers in California are paid a minimum of $8.00/hr.
  • Workers in San Francisco are paid a minimum of $9.36/hr.
However, a living wage is the hourly wage that a person must earn to support his- or her-self by working full-time (2080 hours per year). For example:
  • A single adult need to make $12.10/hr to live in San Francisco. The amount needed rapidly rises with the inclusion of dependents.

ESLPodcast 106 - High School Jobs
I started the day after my 16th birthday, qualifying me for a slightly higher minimum wage.

VOANews: On the Job, at Minimum Wage
About three percent of American workers who are paid by the hour earn the lowest rate permitted by law.

See also:

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