Letter: $15 an hour minimum wage devalues jobs of skilled workers

When I was employed with the city of Aurora, Colo., one of my tasks was to complete job analyses/evaluations by observing employees performing their job-required tasks. Analyses were done to maintain fair salaries for all employees.

Attributes of an individual to efficiently perform a job included the appropriate level of education required, years of experience, special training, applicable skills, knowledge and other abilities. The level of education and skills for a typist were very different from a paramedic’s. And the salary for each was very different due to these required elements.

When a fast-food worker can make $15 an hour in a state where the minimum wage was $9.47, and a skilled administrative assistant may make $18-20 per hour, the administrative assistant’s job is devalued because of the high wage for the fast-food worker. The skill set for each is very different. The pay for the job should be paid based on requirements of the tasks involved.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 6:53 PM with the headline "Letter: $15 an hour minimum wage devalues jobs of skilled workers."