Rita_Hobbs_u10a1_Social Welfare Problem Policy and Social Change

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Social Welfare Problem Policy and Social Change Rita Hobbs HMSV5402: Social Change and Public Policy in Human Services Capella University Professor Elissa Dawkins June 16, 2023

Social Welfare Problem Policy and Social Change Throughout this course, the writer focused on the minimum wage bill policy. In this regard, this paper will explore the advantages of the policy in dealing with inequality. The focus of the paper is to address the social issue of unequal opportunity. Like other social problems, inequality limits people to achieve their full potential. However, the unequal opportunity is preventable by ensuring that social institutions work well. More imperatively, the introduction of the minimum wage bill brought a taste of equity in the financial distribution through employment and remuneration strategies. According to Harasztosi and Lindner (2019), the federal minimum wage was $7.25 per hour effective July 24 as indicated in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Every citizen wishes to achieve their life goals which surround their economic mainstream, social structure, religious milestones, education, and sustainable healthcare among others. Therefore, the paper will discuss how human services professionals’ knowledge could help inform the minimum wage bill policy for inequality. Additionally, the paper will explain the advocacy effort, including its purpose, and the activities human services professionals could engage in to help create policy change for the social issue or problem. Later, the essay will narrow down to the reasons behind the chosen advocacy efforts and their effectiveness. Also, the writer will explore the relationship between advocacy and public opinion, and how this class impacted the understanding of social welfare policy before providing a final summary.

Importance of Human Service Professionals’ Knowledge of Unequal Opportunity The growing income inequality is a concern that has significance for the well-being of everyone. Different people from different schools of thought approach social problems with the majority applying liberalism and conservatism. Social workers empower individuals with poor access to resources. Mainly, financial setbacks form the bulk of the problems presented by most of the marginalized, underserved, and low-income earners within the nation. This analogy compels human service professionals to identify advocacy channels to ouster the disparity. According to Marrero et al. (2016), unequal opportunity is a consequence of the differences in circumstances that are beyond the control of a person, and it is significant from the standpoint of social justice. As a social problem in the various communities, ignoring the incidences of income inequality entrenches it thereby limiting the potential prospects of low-income earners and people without access to any financial support to grow proportionately. Human service professionals advocate for programs such as tax relief and income support or transfers through government programs such as welfare, free healthcare, and food stamps (Stern & Axinn, 2018). Every step taken by a social worker or humanitarian agency makes life better for the affected population. Therefore, advocating for a decrease in incomes from the richest while increasing the incomes of the poorest is a better strategy (Whitmore Schanzenbach & Strain, 2021). The main social welfare policy that ensures this is done to create fairness is the

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minimum wage bill. Therefore, increasing the minimum wage bill will have a positive impact by creating a balance in income distribution across different populations. It is imperative to note that unequal opportunity qualifies as a social problem because of the public outcry that captures the larger society, the problem impacts a majority of people and a solution is always available. Advocacy Effort The main consideration for creating a balance in the incomes between the rich and the poor is by increasing the minimum wage bill. According to Clemens (2019), a higher minimum wage does not cause greater unemployment, boosts productivity, and addresses the growing problem of rising income inequality. The mentioned analogy hints at the fact that the higher the minimum wage the better the living standards of employees working at similar standards and same income taxes. The advocacy for a better living based on financial equality is, therefore, the best option for reducing poverty and the wide gaps between the rich and the poor that makes some communities marginalized or underserved. Raising the minimum wage bill has a positive economic impact on the lives of everyone, in an equal and equitable manner, thereby reducing the problem of unequal opportunities (Che Ahmat et al., 2019). Advocacy is the main approach to initiating the increase of the minimum wage bill. Through public participation and debates, social workers can create relevant awareness that enables the majority to embrace an amendment to the wage bill policy. Additionally, the human service professional can lobby for a legislative

activity through Congress. Through Congress, the president signs various bills into law after relevant amendments are done that allows the minimum wage bill to go up to serve the interest of low-income earners (David & Abigail, 2023). Relevance of Advocacy Raising the minimum wage bill boosts the average earning of low-income earners per se. the main argument from the human service professionals on raising the minimum wage bill is that higher earnings will improve the overall standard of living for low-income earners hence cushioning the increases in costs of living that may accrue with fluctuating inflation rates within the country (Donovan et al., 2022). Opting for the increase of the minimum wage bill instead of other considerations is attributed to its uniformity across the state. There is no class, cultural disparity, economic differences, gender discrimination, or job type factor considered in implementing the minimum wage bill policy across the nation as stipulated by (Okudaira et al., 2019). The mentioned analogy makes the approach more relevant to all populations in the most deserving communities in the country. Unequal opportunities retard the economic growth of individuals affected by them, especially from a financial perspective. Importance of Advocacy Increasing the minimum wage bill bolsters the economic well-being of people. According to Maloney and Mendez (2004), raising the minimum wage projects higher earnings for low-

income workers hence improving their living standards. The mentioned analogy works in a system where other benefits expenses remain constant for example; the government maintains the income tax at the usual rate while no significant inflation occurs to destabilize the forces of demand and supply. The mentioned importance is echoed by a 2019 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report that projected a significant improvement in living standards for at least 17 million people, assuming a minimum hourly wage of $15 by 2025, including an estimated 1.3 million people being elevated above the poverty line (Overstreet, 2021). Secondly, as most people move out of poverty, the federal expenditures on financial aid for poor and low-income individuals. This in turn reduces the incidence of tax that increases because of the higher government budget. Additionally, increasing the minimum wage bill creates a balance a good working rapport between companies and the workers because of the improved employee morale hence boosting overall production. Relationship Between Advocacy and Public Opinion In a report by Telford (2019), income inequality in America was at its highest. This prompted citizens to embrace more effective approaches to bridge the gap. Majority of citizens campaign for the increase of the minimum wage bill. This is a positive public opinion on the advocacy. According to Okudaira et al. (2019), most Americans support a federal minimum wage of $15 with at least 65% of the adults consenting to the idea. With such data on public opinion,

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advocacy is relevant and effective in creating positive social change. Increasing the amount earned by low-income earners helps redistribute income across all populations irrespective of color, gender, cultural background, or job group. Class Impact on Understanding Social Welfare Policy Generally, I benefited from the class. Various aspects of social welfare were addressed. For example, I learned about several social welfare policies such as housing social policies, healthcare, and unemployment assistance. Such knowledge is imperative in professional social work as we embrace different dynamics of the social community. understanding the economic status of a given population, for example, is important because it helps inform the best strategies to use in combatting the various problems presented by them. The American community is guided by different sets of laws. Most bills are signed by the president upon formulation by the Congress. Gaining knowledge on how such structures work is important for my advocacy role as a future human services professional. Therefore, I gained imperative insights from the course that will inform a better future involvement with clients and communities at different capacities. Conclusion Human services professionals support the community in so many ways including delivering basic resources to deserving communities who are not reached by federal assistance. Additionally, social work agencies advocate for a better living for everyone irrespective of their

background. This paper addressed a social problem, unequal opportunities, which hinders people from reaching their potential goals in life. Finding solutions to inequality is a positive step towards eradicating all forms of discrimination nationally. The writer proposed raising the minimum wage bill as the best advocacy effort that will create a significant balance in income distribution irrespective of a person’s job group or economic background.

References Che Ahmat, N. H., Arendt, S. W., & Russell, D. W. (2019). Effects of minimum wage policy implementation: Compensation, work behaviors, and quality of life. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 81, 229-238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2019.04.019 Clemens, J. P. (2019). Making sense of the minimum wage: A roadmap for navigating recent research. CATO Institute Policy Analysis, (867). David H. B. & Abigail R. O. (2023). State Minimum Wages: An Overview. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R43792 Donovan, S. A., Stoll, A., Bradley, D. H., & Collins, B. (2022). Skills Gaps: A Review of Underlying Concepts and Evidence. CRS Report R47059, Version 3. Congressional Research Service. Maloney, W., & Mendez, J. (2004). Measuring the impact of minimum wages. Evidence from Latin America. In Law and employment: lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean (pp. 109-130). University of Chicago Press. Marrero, G. A., Rodríguez, J. G., & Van Der Weide, R. (2016). Unequal opportunity, unequal growth. World bank policy research working paper, (7853).

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Okudaira, H., Takizawa, M., & Yamanouchi, K. (2019). Minimum wage effects across heterogeneous markets. Labor Economics, 59, 110-122. Overstreet, D. (2021). Is Minimum Wage an Effective Anti-Poverty Tool?. Journal of Poverty, 25(5), 453-464. Stern, M. J. & Axinn, J. (2018). Social welfare: A history of the American response to need (9th ed.). Pearson. Telford, T. (2019). Income inequality in America is the highest it’s been since Census Bureau started tracking it, data shows. Washington Post, 26. Whitmore Schanzenbach, D., & Strain, M. R. (2021). Employment effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit: Taking the long view. Tax policy and the economy, 35(1), 87-129.

Rita_Hobbs_u10a1_Social Welfare Problem Policy and Social Change

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