Welfare reform and not being able to survive on current minimum wage Essay

Welfare reform and not being able to survive on current minimum wage - Essay Example These were the first laws to recognize the overtime pay policies, eight-hour workday, and minimum wages for workers. A century later, there has been a lot of criticisms on the impact and effects of these minimum wages in America. Ehrenreich (3) argue that â€Å"minimum wages is a contributing factor to inflation, unemployment, and high prices†. On the other hand, other people believe that minimum wages play a role in protecting the rights and welfare of workers. Ehrenreich (1) is one of the people who argue against the establishment of minimum wages. She argues that by creation of a minimum wage, the government and business organizations are exploiting the society. This is because the minimum wages established by the government cannot help an individual to live comfortably in the society (Ehrenreich, 16). For example, the current minimum wages in United States is 7.50 dollars per hour. Ehrenreich (7) explains that this amount of money is very little, and it cannot make a person to live comfortably in any States, within America. For example, this amount of money cannot pay a nice two bed roomed house in United States. This is for an individual who is working for about 40 hours per week. Ehrenreich (17) argues that the â€Å"group of people who are vulnerable, and greatly affected by this concept of minimum wages are single mothers†. These are women who are alone, and they are forced to carter for the need of their children. The 7.50 m inimum wages is not sufficient to help these women carter for their needs. It is because they lack time to seek other works, or work for overtime, for purposes of supplementing their incomes. This is because they have to carter for the needs of their offspring’s, and hence they are forced to leave work early. In fact, Ehrenreich (12) explains that â€Å"most employers normally complain that the major problem they

Priority List Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Priority List - Essay Example In the list, Air force Plant 85 appears as number 1 with site identity number by EPA being OH1170090004, Allied Chemical & Ironton Coke appears as number 2 with site identity number by EPA being OH043730217 and Bowers Landfill listed as number 8 with site identity number by EPA being OHD980509616 (EPA, 2012; EPA, 2011; EPA, 2013). Hazardous chemicals listed in the inventory and associated with Allied Chemicals & Ironton Coke include benzene, ammonia, cyanide, naphthalene and Polynuclear Aromatics Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phenolics (EPA, 2011). The ground water within the site contains all the listed chemicals, which are dangerous to human health. In the inventory list, Air Force Plant 85 characterizes with chemicals that include chlorinated solvents, trichloroethylene, PCBs and hydrocarbons. The site also suffers from contamination with dangerous metals like mercury, chromium and cadmium (EPA, 2012). The groundwater under the site has contaminations of the metals and chemicals, and unhealthy for human consumption. The inventory also features Bowels Landfill site as contaminated with contaminants such as barium, manganese, pesticides, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), phthalates, lead, polychlorinated biphyenyls (PCBs) and arsenics, which have also infiltrated into the groundwater and making the water unsafe for human consumption (EPA, 2013). The chemicals and metallic substances within the sites infiltrate underground, contaminate and make the underground water unsafe for human consumption. Buying home within the sites can be the least decision considering that residing in the areas is tantamount to deliberate risking of one’s health and life especially if the areas rely on groundwater as primary source of water. However, if municipal authorities connect piped water into the areas surrounding the sites, then one can