Minimum wages and trainers' dilemna
Labour. Review of Labour Economics and Industrial Relations
2010
24
2
June
128-138
enterprise level ; minimum wage ; on the job training
Education and training
English
Bibliogr.
"This paper examines how a minimum wage, viewed as an incentive to trainers, would affect the informal help provided through on-the-job training. In the work environment, experienced employees play a significant role in training new employees. However, the more help they provide to trainees, the less likely that the trainers themselves will be promoted. This is the trainer's dilemma: help trainees or work for promotion. We show that a minimum wage alleviates the trainer's dilemma, as it increases the earnings of non-promoted workers and reduces the net benefit of promotion for experienced employees. Hence, minimum wage regulation encourages informal help and enhances welfare, although it reduces the firm's profit."
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