Discrimination exists in training wage idea

New York State Senate Republicans have proposed allowing employers to offer a “training wage” to workers younger than 20 years of age. This is a discriminatory action state legislators should not consider or implement.

In January, Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.75. Lawmakers are attempting to adopt a budget, including wage decisions, by the end of this week, as the state’s $136.5 billion budget must be adopted by March 31.

Republicans fear these hikes will hurt small businesses in New York, and have made proposals to lessen the effects of wage increases. Specific details about the training wage have not been released, but it is known that the reduced wage would apply to workers younger than 20 for the first several months of employment.

A training wage is not a worthy option to be considered by lawmakers trying to compromise on the minimum wage disagreements.

If a there was a proposal suggesting men or women should receive lower wages than the opposite sex for the first few months of employment, it would never be a discussion. The training wage proposal creates a similar situation in the form of discrimination by age.

Many young people in New York who fall into this age group are adults enrolled in college who must save money to pay off loans. Others are financially independent and responsible for supporting themselves.

The current minimum wage has been proven insufficient. Keeping wages at this level for select individuals or lowering them further would prove detrimental to those making a living.

For workers younger than 18, the summer is often the time most of these individuals work and build their savings. A training wage that would last a few months would consume much, if not all, of this time and would make saving difficult.

Large hikes may hurt small businesses that cannot afford to pay employees the proposed amounts. But the answer for reaching a compromise fair to all workers in New York may still lie in raising the minimum wage, either by a smaller amount or as a gradual increase.

Other options legislators should consider is lowering wages only for a short period of job training or making the training wage only applicable to people younger than 18 who are still financially dependent.

Workers younger than 20 years old are capable of doing the same jobs and at the same skill level as those of older individuals. Being singled out because of age is not acceptable.