--%>

Problem on Minimum Wage

Sec. A:The Bureau of Labor Statistics of a small state has asked you to analyze a minimum wage policy to support unskilled workers in the State’s local economy, which is still suffering from the effects of the recession.  Based on information that you’ve gathered, where “P” represents the hourly wage of unskilled workers, you’ve estimated that the demand for unskilled labor (QD) across the State is as follows:

QD = 1,000,000 – 40,000 P
Unskilled labor (QS) = -200,000 + 200,000 P

Answer the following questions about this competitive market for unskilled labor. In both cases, show your work.

1. A local legislator is concerned about the relatively low earnings of unskilled workers, and proposes a minimum hourly wage of $6.00.  Showing your work, explain how this would effect:

a. The number of unskilled workers employed
b. The number of unskilled workers who would be unemployed

2. Explain both the efficiency and equity consequences of the $6.00 minimum wage policy for unskilled workers.  Include charts supporting your answer.

Sec. B: Answer each of the questions below and illustrate your answers using supply and demand diagrams.In answering, assume that the market is initially in equilibrium, and that there is no minimum wage. Do not use the supply and demand equations in Section A Remember that in a labor market, demand depends on the behavior if potential employers, and supply depends on the decisions of potential workers.

1. The State experiences a significant immigration of unskilled workers.

2. Technological change makes it possible for computers to do at a relatively low cost a significant amount of work previously done by unskilled workers.

3. The system of adult education in the State provides previously unskilled workers with skills enabling them to compete for relatively high paying, skilled jobs.

   Related Questions in Microeconomics

  • Q : Occupational Licensing The capability

    The capability of otherwise skilled workers to engage in specific careers or enter some professions is most likely most inhibited by: (1) Occupational licensing. (2) Wage discrimination. (3) Segregation in school system. (4) Signaling and screening. (5) Union labor co

  • Q : Monopsonistic exploitation-labor union

    The labor union contracts, a comparable worth rule, or minimum salary laws might boost up equilibrium employment when a firm has been practicing: (i) Price discrimination. (ii) Monopolistic exploitation. (iii) Feather-bedding. (iv) Blacklisting. (v) Monopsonistic expl

  • Q : Price floors with government purchases

    Suppose the U.S. wheat market is primarily in a stable equilibrium upon S0D0. Assume now that the government institutes a legal price floor at P3 per bushel of wheat. When the government will buy and store any resulting surplus

  • Q : Economic profit of purely competitive

    Purely competitive firms will experience economic profit, in a short-run equilibrium which is: (w) zero. (x) positive. (y) negative. (z) negative, zero, or positive are all possibilities. Hey friends please give yo

  • Q : Capital intensive forms of production

    Can someone please help me in finding out the accurate answer from the following question. Associative to firms that do not practice the wage discrimination, firms which wage-discriminate tend to: (1) Forego highest gains by hiring the less productive workers. (2) Dis

  • Q : Present Value and Rates of Return When

    When the rate of return you calculate on an asset exceeds the interest rate: (1) competition for profit must make its price fall rapidly. (2) the price must fall rapidly. (3) the market is in long term equilibrium. (4) you should igno

  • Q : Restrictive monetary policy Select the

    Select the right answer of the question. A restrictive monetary policy is designed to shift the: A) aggregate demand curve rightward. B) aggregate demand curve leftward. C) aggregate supply curve rightward. D) aggregate supply curve leftward

  • Q : Problem on demand of rising exports

    Meager Russian grain harvests during the year 2001 led to increasing exports of U.S. grain to Russia, that symbolized a raise in the: (1) Demand for Russian grain. (2) Supply of U.S. grain. (3) Supply of Russian grain. (4) Demand for the U.S. grain.

    Q : Econ Give the answer of following

    Give the answer of following question. In the quintile distribution of income, the term "quintile" represents: A) 5 percent of the income receivers. B) 10 percent of the income receivers. C) 20 percent of the income receivers. D) 25 percent of the income receivers.

  • Q : Closed Shops problems Can someone

    Can someone please help me in finding out the accurate answer from the following question. Firms which agreed to hire only workers who were already the union members would be operating: (1) Agency shops. (2) Bilateral monopolies. (