Despite the concerns from business owners, new minimum wage legislation is increasingly popping up around the country. However, many teens are displeased to see themselves “carved out,” or excluded from the plans. In New Jersey, for example, an early version of the bill to raise the minimum wage delayed workers under 18 getting $15 an hour until 2029, five years after adults would see their earnings go up.
“It was really a slap in the face,” says Giovana Castaneda, 18, one of the activists who fought for equal pay.
“Our work is just as important as the people that we work alongside with,” adds Matthew Skolar, 17, who also pushed for a revision to the bill. “We should be valued just the same.”
Castaneda and Skolar were two of the young people working with an organization called Make the Road New Jersey to ensure that teens were included in the legislation. They raised awareness in their communities by posting on social media, marching, canvassing, making videos, and meeting with legislators. It ultimately paid off; in February, Governor Phil Murphy signed the $15 minimum wage into law—and the final version didn’t carve out teens.
In Massachusetts, lobbyists tried to negotiate a lower minimum wage for those under 18. But teens in the state like Ashley Delva were crucial advocates for their own interests, speaking with voters and visiting fast-food restaurants to encourage workers to join the movement to raise wages. In the end, the law granted teens a $15 minimum wage.
For many young people, a higher minimum wage can make a huge difference to their quality of life. Gennesy Jimenez, 18, another of the New Jersey activists, used to work more than 40 hours a week at a shoe store for minimum wage, in addition to going to school. She had to put in long hours to make enough money. She often didn’t get home until midnight—and only then did she start her homework.
“Sometimes I’d have no other choice but not to sleep,” she says. “Getting paid the minimum wage is terrible because it’s promoting bad, unhealthy working habits.”
But some experts say that if inexperienced teens are paid the same as adults, young people may wind up losing jobs.