Why are 18 year olds paid more than those under 18 for the same job?

[Colugo]

why is this?

[CheekyChops]

Because that is the level of minimum wage set by the government.

16-17 year olds get �3 per hour

18-21 year olds get �4.25 prt hour

22 yrs and over, the main rate is �5.05 per hour.

I don't know why they set it like this, probably becasue a 25 year old doing the same job as a 16 year old would have more skills and experience, gained over the years. Therefore they are rewarded for that.

[january_bug]

Indeed it is CheekyChops - and 22 years and over get more too - as you said.

It's a combination of the fact that older people DESERVE more money because they are (usually, but not always) better at the job due to greater experience, training and maturity, and also the desire to make education look more appealing. The government wants to encourage people to stay at school for longer therefore, it does not encourage high wages for under 18s.

Finally, if unregulated, the market would likely determine that under 18s earn less money than older staff anyway. This is because there is less demand for children in the workplace. The only time people want to take on kids, is because they know the kids are in no position to demand high wages.

[twiglet4frog]

older staff are more reliable and hard working in many circumstances, (not all tho so dont bite me head off hehe) and also have more responsibilities that many 16-18 year olds dont have (bills, family etc) on top of the fact that many 16 year olds would probably drop out of education if Mcdonalds offered a �5 an hour wage at 16!

[january_bug]

*is cross with T4F for mentioning MacD when he should have KNOWN that Buggy is currently VERY hungry and has major Quarter Pounder with Cheese Extra Value Meal cravings* LOL :-p :-)

[Colugo]

Thanks for ure answers guys, makes sense but im still annoyed that as an under 18 supervisor i get paid less than some of the people i supervise

[ursula62]

It *does* seem unfair, Colugo - but the world of work isn't fair - and it sounds like you've already realised that! All you can do is gain a few years' experience and then move on to a firm that values you for who you are not how old you are. It will happen - I promise!

[january_bug]

Well, that's not fair at all!

Your situation isn't the same as that in the question. You're now saying you do MORE than them, for less pay - that is something that should be addressed. Are you female? If you're male, you could still bring a sex discrimination case, but it'll be easier if you're a girl.

I'd have to think more about if that were technically possible, I'm not entirely sure, but it would be something you could always mention. After all, it's not like they're paid for their extra experience - if they had more experience, they'd be the superviser, not you!

Remember that's it's a MINIMUM, not a maximum wage. I bet you want to remind your boss of that too!

I would suggest that you look around for a job where you'll get paid more, where you're appreciated financially. If this is just a weekend job, it's probably not worth the aggro, but if you're not at college and this is how you make your living, then I say - kick up a fuss!

People here can offer you good advice if you want further information.

:-)

[funnywebsite]

The main reason is that under 18's are restricted to a certain amount of hours they can do. I went for a job once when I was 17 and was told they cannot employ me because I was meant to work longer hours. I cannot remember what the rules were but you need to look into it.