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Armstrong bill would
establish youth training wage
Three-tiered
wage would give minors better chance to enter labor market
In an effort to give young
people a better opportunity to get their foot in the door for a job in a
struggling economy,
Rep. Mike
Armstrong today introduced a measure to establish a youth
training wage.
House Bill 1928 would allow employees under the age of 16 to be paid
at a rate not less than 85 percent of the federal minimum wage rate.
Employees who are 16 and 17 years old would be paid the federal minimum
wage rate.
Armstrong, R-Wenatchee,
said Washington's minimum wage rate of $8.55 an hour, which is the
highest in the nation, is making it difficult for young people to
compete for jobs, especially part-time and summer employment.
"This sets up a
three-tiered minimum wage system that allows young people a better
opportunity to go to work. They're having a very hard time finding
part-time jobs," said Armstrong. "Many young people do want to have some
part-time employment to save for college and have some spending money.
But they've been priced out of the market. A training wage would open up
new opportunities for the teen work force."
The 12th District lawmaker
sponsored the bill at the request of the Washington State Farm Bureau.
He says the measure would also make it easier and more affordable for
farmers to hire young people for field and harvest work.
"When I was a teenager, I
worked in the orchards around Wenatchee picking apples, cherries
and other fruit. A training wage would help to further expand these
opportunities for our young people and be a savings to farmers
struggling to pay for harvest and stay in business," added Armstrong.
The federal hourly minimum
wage is now $6.55, but will increase to $7.25 an hour beginning July 24.
Under Armstrong's
proposal, workers under 16 would make $5.57 an hour (85 percent of the
federal minimum wage) until July 24 when that would increase to $6.16
per hour. Workers ages 16 and 17 would receive 100 percent of the
federal minimum wage. The state's minimum wage rate ($8.55 an hour)
would become effective once a person reaches his or her 18th birthday.
The measure was referred
to the House Commerce and Labor Committee.
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For more information, contact:
John
Sattgast, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7257
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