In many countries, the rates of turnover that relate to the younger population are extremely high, and there are severe shortages in skill sets. Moreover, these countries face challenges of service gaps and they highlight an increasing demand for the services of the youth (Bessant, 2008). In light of these factors, many researchers opine that it is essential to nurture better pay and conditions for youth workers to address the various concerns. More intently, some scholars are of the opinion that the youth wages will come in handy in solving the problems that relate to the younger workforce. Moreover, a comparison of the youth’s wages with the general wage growth and the wages of individuals engaged in similar work occurred (Belchamber, 2009). Many researchers make a case for youth wages to attract and maintain the younger workforce in particular territories.
However, there have been numerous campaigns in many countries such as Australia against the features of youth wages. Many stakeholders are of the notion that, the aspects of youth wage promote discriminatory activities based on age (Borland & Yi-Ping, 2007). Moreover, some researchers believe that the features of youth wages discriminate against the younger workforce by ensuring that the determination of their pay rates confines to the aspects of age. For example in Australia, the provisions of the law prohibit the acts of discrimination against employees based on age (OECD, 2012). The dissection will analyze both sides of the argument. First, the analysis will review if the justification for youth wages is correct. The dissection will also examine if the acts of discrimination relate to the features of youth wages.
The Justification of Youth Wages
The features of youth wages address the challenges that relate to critical skill shortages in many countries. In many countries, research shows that there are immense skill shortages in the younger workforce. In the event, that youth wages are available the youthful workforce gets motivated and they make an effort to enhance their skill set at all times (Callander, Schofield & Shrestha, 2012). It is mandatory to nurture a learning culture among the younger population, and embracing youth wages is a significant catalyst to make the youth to increase their learning rates. Once the learning rates increase, there would be minimal shortages in terms of skill among the younger population. In addition, many services in a country rely on the younger workforce. It is extremely difficult to attract and retain qualified and skilled young people without a lucrative pay package (Emslie, 2009). It is essential to formulate appropriate youth wages so that the willingness of the young people to work becomes evident at all times.
For instance, the Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS) articulates that the NGOs in the region are working efficiently. Moreover, they report that further enhancements in productivity are impossible without additional funding (Judith, 2005). Thus, this indicates that the younger working population in this locale is already operating at maximum capacity. Hence, further investments directed towards better pay and working conditions for the younger working population are mandatory. Embracing youth wages will abrogate or minimize the workforce limitations that relate to shortages in skillset among the younger population (O’Brien, 2007). Hence, this highlights the justification of youth wages in respective territories.
Second, the features of youth wages nurture viable working conditions in many countries. For respective countries to be prosperous, it is essential to attract quality staff, retain experienced workers, and nurture career progressions (Bessant, 2008). All these factors rely heavily on the features of youth wages. More intently, the youth wages have to be at par with the general wage growth in all countries. Youth wages will ensure that youth work becomes more attractive to enter and stay in. The labor supply of any country is crucial to the continued economic growth of that particular country. The older population highlights much skills and experience. However, as years go by, the older professionals are retiring or they become limited in performing their daily duties (Belchamber, 2009). Hence, it is mandatory to certify that the younger population is more than eager to contribute to the labor supply. Thus, this guarantees the economic endowment of the respective countries at all instances.
The features of youth wage enhance the status of youth’s work and many young people ascertain their career paths (Borland & Yi-Ping, 2007). Hence, the shortages in labor supply become extinct and the state accomplishes its authoritative endeavors. Youth wages are a justifiable initiative in many locales and they certify the efforts of the government in terms of economic growth, labor stability, and economic endowment. In addition, when the state nurtures viable working environments for the youth they manage to improve employment conditions in the youth sector. Moreover, the attraction and retention of competent young people becomes apparent across diversified fields (Emslie, 2009). The elements of youth wage guarantee viable working conditions for the young minds, and the state highlights immense economic growth.
Third, youth wages complement the initiatives of the government, and these efforts aim to nurture a more socially inclusive society. Moreover, the youth wages guarantee a sustainable community sector in many territories (Judith, 2005). Youth wages are essential for any state that aims to exhibit a commitment to achieving its social inclusion agenda. For instance, when it comes to social inclusion, the Australian government ensures that the youth at extreme risks of future disadvantage have the ability to access all the essential amenities. Hence, the elements of youth wage come in handy in assisting the Australian Government to achieve its social inclusion targets. The government has to address the needs of the younger populations who undergo a social exclusion (O’Brien, 2007). More precisely, the state has to guarantee the availability of trained and committed young workers who highlight a sense of a future in the respective industries. To do this, the youth wages become a justifiable imitative as they rejuvenate the efforts of the youth, and in the process social inclusion of the young individuals becomes successful.
The aim of any government is to enhance the features of human capital. The authoritative economic targets of any state rely on the stability of human capital (OECD, 2012). For any economy to become vibrant, it is mandatory to nurture a healthy and flourishing young population that can participate in the workforce. The youth wages make the economy vibrant because they act as a source of motivation to prospective young workers in any state. In addition, the existent young workers play a crucial role in encouraging other young people to become industrious and build the country’s economy. The youth wages guarantee the utmost levels of quality in performance of various work duties by the young individuals (Judith, 2005). Hence, the youth wages act as a supplement to the government when it comes to realizing social inclusion initiatives across all sectors.
Why Youth Wages Are Just Blatant Discrimination
First, the features of the youth wage regard the labor attributed to the younger population as having lesser value than the work assigned to the older people. Some stakeholders are of the opinion that the younger population is much more unsettled and inexperienced (O’Brien, 2007). Such notions promote the utmost levels of discrimination and they ought to be non-existent in any territory. In some cases, the state allows the employers to discount the pay of the younger personnel based on their levels of inexperience. It is essential to base remuneration on the levels of competence and not on the aspects of age. It is discriminatory to remunerate workers based on their age and not on their competence.
Some researchers believe that the younger population does not deserve a huge wage because they have minimal needs (Bessant, 2008). It is essential to appreciate great work notwithstanding the needs or the age of the worker. Moreover, it is not the concern of a prospective employer to evaluate the needs of the younger employees in various organizations. The youth wages, in this case, highlight the level of discrimination. Moreover, the prevalent assumption is that young people are still in their adolescent stage and that they depend on their parents for a livelihood. However, not all young people have parents. Hence, it is crucial to refrain from implementing youth wages based on the notion that these young people will receive support from their parents (Belchamber, 2009). The fact that the older working force receives better pay than the younger individuals is proof enough that youth wages are just blatant discrimination.
Second, the features of the youth wage increase the levels of poverty among the young people. More intently, the social and economic effects of the youth wage widen the gap between the older population and the younger individuals. It is essential to minimize the gap between the rich and the poor, and any legislation that makes the young to become disadvantaged in way whatsoever is discriminatory (Emslie, 2009). The youth wage limits the economic capabilities of the younger population and this highlights the utmost levels of discrimination. The youth wages increase inequality among respective sections of the population. In addition, they alienate some of the young people from the job markets and this attests to the fact that the youth wages exhibit extremely high levels of discrimination. The youth wage policies have a direct and detrimental effect on the living standards of the young population (Judith, 2005). Hence, the elements of youth wages are a manifestation of high levels of discrimination against the younger workers in the labor market.
A diminution in the levels of remuneration for the young causes poverty and these results in the exclusion of the young from the human capital frameworks (O’Brien, 2007). Such exclusions are what culminate at extremely high levels of discrimination. The youth wage principle results in massive instances of discrimination. The young individuals in respective states undergo many difficulties because of poverty, and in the end, they fail to participate effectively in the labor market. The discrimination originating from the dynamics of the youth wage makes the young people highlight some limitations while at work.
Third, the elements of classifying young people as dependent, naïve, less experienced, and so forth. More intently, the elements of the youth wage framework continually exhibit the utmost levels of age discrimination. The youth wage promotes a blanket denial of the abilities of many young people in respective territories (Judith, 2005). In some instances, the young individuals stand out more than the adults do in various fields. However, the youth wage framework does not acknowledge this fact. The youth wage structure is reliant on the notion that the young population is dependent and naive, and this result in denying the young people their deserved entitlements. The youth wage denies the young people their respective benefits and that results in blatant discrimination.
Fourth, the youth wage policy prevents young people from fulfilling their social obligations. Moreover, the young people do not participate fully in civic, social, and cultural activities (Emslie, 2009). The young ought to be all rounded, and if any policy inhibits this, then that particular policy relates to discriminatory activities. The youth wages erode the economic and civic entitlements of the young population in a massive way. Hence, the youth wage system highlights blatant discrimination in numerous ways.
In conclusion, the youth wage policy is justifiable in some instances such as in addressing skill shortages, improving work conditions, and alignment with the government’s policy (O’Brien, 2007). Nevertheless, the youth wage framework is also blatantly discriminatory because it promotes age discrimination and denies the young population a fair chance to remunerations. For the purposes of economic endowment and high levels of productivity, it is essential to strike a balance in regards to youth wages. Such activities will guarantee the prosperity of many territories.
References
Belchamber, G. (2009). Minimum Award Wages for Young Workers Must Be Reformed. (English). Australian Economic Review, 32(4), 390.
Bessant, J. (2008). The Youth Wage and Age-Based Discrimination: Rights vs. Jobs. Australian Journal of Social Issues (Australian Council of Social Service), 35(3), 235-250.
Borland, J., & Yi-Ping, T. (2007). Does A Minimum Job Search Requirement Reduce Time On Unemployment Payments? Evidence from the Jobseeker Diary in Australia. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 60(3), 357-378.
Callander, E. J., Schofield, D. J., & Shrestha, R. N. (2012). Towards a holistic understanding of poverty: A new multidimensional measure of poverty for Australia. Health Sociology Review, 21(2), 141-155.
Emslie, M. (2009). “Please Sir, I Want Some More”: Securing Better Pay and Conditions for Youth Workers in Australia. Youth Studies Australia, 28(3), 32-40.
Judith, B. (2005). Why employ qualified youth workers? Youth Studies Australia, 24(4), 9-13.
O’Brien, M. (2007). The Youth Labor Market in Australia and Work choices Legislation. International Employment Relations Review, 13(1), 33-41.
OECD. (2012). Improving employment prospects for young workers. OECD Economic Surveys, 2012(18), 77-103.