Unfortunately for young people, one of the prime causes of the declining summer job market for teenagers is mandated wage hikes ["Tightening job market toughest for teenagers," July 8].
According to economist David Neumark of the University of California at Irvine, for every 10 percent increase in the minimum wage, employment for high school dropouts and young black adults and teenagers falls by 8.5 percent.
In just the past few years, Virginia's minimum wage has increased 13 percent. And it will jump another 11 percent this month.
You don't need a business degree to understand why the wage hikes affect teen employment.
The classic summer jobs--cashier, restaurant waiter, and grocery clerk--can help an employer who has increased business or a need to cover for full-time employees taking vacations or sick leave.
But when government mandates add to labor costs by artificially boosting wages, employers are more likely to hold off on hiring people to fill such flexible slots.
Kristen Lopez Eastlick
Washington
The writer is an economic analyst with the Employment Policies Institute.