The federal mandated minimum wage does not adequately reimburse employees. Minimum age is currently set at $7.25 (has not changed since 2009). The minimum wage in 1970 was $1.45 given information found on the Department of Labor's Website (Department of Labor, http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.htm). The minimum wage has increased only 5x over a the course of 44 years.
During this same period of time, the average home cost has increased by over 700% (US Census, https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/census/historic/values.html).
The failure of the government to raise the minimum wage has allowed for a concentration of wealth near the top of the economic structure and restricts the abilites of the poor and middle class based on information published by our own government.