Lesson 18: Minimum Wage

This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)

Activity: Minimum Wage

Key Considerations

More than likely when you are hired for your first job, it will be for minimum wage. Currently, the federal minimum hourly wage an employer can pay an employee is $7.25 an hour. Some states and cities have raised the minimum wage beyond the amount established by the federal government. For instance, the minimum wage in Florida is $10.00.

Directions

• Research what minimum wage is in your state.
• Calculate how much your gross pay would be earning minimum wage in the following scenarios:
  • You have been hired for an eight-week summer job. You work 20 hours a week for minimum wage. What is the gross amount of money you will you earn after 8 weeks?
  • You were hired for a part-time job after school. You work Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. for minimum wage. What is the gross amount of money you will earn a week?
  • You graduated high school and landed a full-time job. You have been hired to work 40 hours per week for minimum wage. How much money will you earn a month? How much money will you earn in a year?