Platform: Teens and Minimum Wage: ‘It Seems to Be Expected’

JON P. GOODMAN: Director of the Entrepreneur Program, USC

Most of the teen-agers I know who have a realistic grasp of the world will grab any job they can these days because they desperately need the income. When teen-agers are students, minimum wage jobs are supplements to their income. We’re assuming that the teen-ager has a home and shelter and necessities. Then a full-time minimum wage job in the summer is something that has the potential to assist them during the school year.

The question is, can teen-agers get jobs, period? And they’ll work for anything if they can get work. They need the money.

Their prospects are dreadful. It’s a cascade effect. Well-employed people lose their jobs, they displace people at the next level. Those people displace people below them. Now, people who used to work at marginal jobs at $6 an hour, are dropping down to hamburger flipping at $4.50 an hour.

Teen-agers are the last hired and first fired. They are really at the bottom of the totem pole. In order to take in the worker at the margin, the teen-ager, you have to have that economy expanding. And we’re contracting.

There’s one wrinkle. Appropriations for summer job programs might make the picture a little less bleak.

NANCY H. TUNG: Senior, 18, Arcadia High School

The minimum wage is kind of low. A lot of high school students are interested in jobs that pay more. I get paid $10 to $15 an hour (as a tutor.) The cost of living is high. You can’t even go to a movie without shelling out eight bucks. A lot of teens have to pay car insurance. (Minimum wage jobs are) not really challenging. They are mostly tedious, menial and repetitive. There’s not much room for advancement. You can’t get a really good job, with room for advancement, starting out at minimum wage. It’s partially money, and it’s partially having to put in a lot of time without getting much back.

My time is really valuable. It wouldn’t be worth my time to work for that little money. I think minimum wage is important. I think it’s important that there is one. But I wouldn’t (want to have to) work for it.

BOB DARLING: Manager, Burger King, Eagle Rock

Generally, (teen-agers’) needs are not as great. They don’t need to be on their own. They’re just using their money for Friday and Saturday night fun, or for fixing their cars. They just need to supplement their income.

I have very little problem with (finding employees). If I need employees, I (hang out my sign).

JOHN W. BEN: Aqua Ben Corp., a water-treatment firm, Orange

I believe in a two-tier minimum wage. It’s not so much a restriction against age as against young people. I believe teen-agers will gladly come in at a minimum wage because their value increases with experience. The more mature the person, the more valuable a person is. In our business, it won’t impact that much, but in a mom-and-pop operation they can hire two as opposed to one (with a two-tier system).

The more people who are working, the better off we are, and when you’ve got a job, the opportunity to grow is there for you. The first step is always the hard part--getting hired. If your ability is there, it will shine. If you’re worth it, you’ll have an increase in salary.

STEPHEN P. BLYTHE: President, Blythe Co., computer accounting systems developer, Laguna Hills

In my area, in my part of the county, kids aren’t willing to work for $3 to $4 an hour. (They) don’t have any appreciation for what a dollar is and what it is worth. They don’t have (a sense for) the value of the money.

When I was in high school, a job was a job.

JEREMY KOCAL: Senior, 18, Mater Dei High School, Santa Ana

I’m currently looking for a job. I would prefer not to work for minimum wage. (But) one of the reasons I would do so is that it seems to be expected. You go to a new job. They start you at minimum wage. It’s a building block.

Teen-agers will work for minimum wage because of lack of a experience. We need to get the the confidence to work for something bigger. We will take whatever we can get.

ELLIE ACALIN: Senior, 18, Mater Dei High School

I do (think teens will work for minimum wage). It takes a lot of work to go out job hunting. Most people will take minimum wage because they don’t want to go through the hassle of going here and there. And summer jobs are getting hard to get. It depends on timing, you know, if they’re hiring.

If you really need the money, what they give you is what they’ll give you.

SANDRA LOPEZ: Senior, 17, Hollywood High School

Teen-agers will work for minimum wage because you need the money. Most people can’t afford to get all the things you need. Your parents have their own bills to pay. You have to help. I work at the Vine Theatre. Sometimes I’m at the box or at the concession stand. You have to do two things at the same time; you have to go to school, then go to work. You have no life in between. I work from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. or 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. On weekends, I work eight hours. And you have to make some time (to study), on your days off. I have to finish books in a day, instead of a whole week. I have to do it faster.

(Most people) think, “Oh, it’s a part-time job. It’s not that hard. It’s easy.” They don’t appreciate it.