This paper estimates the impact of a more than 50 percent reduction in the minimum to average wage ratio in Mexico between 1970 and 1990 using panel data on minimum wages in thirty-two Mexican states. Minimum wages are found to have little effect on male employment but a negative employment effect on females. Estimated elasticities are between -.58 and -1.25. Minimum wages do not affect employment of young males but have a small positive impact on the employment of older males, ages 55 to 64. This evidence suggests that increases in minimum wages shift demand away from less skilled workers towards relatively more skilled workers.
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Volume (Year): 24 (1998) Issue (Month): 2 (Spring) Pages: 165-180 Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML
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Find related papers by JEL classification: J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, and Vacancies - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search O15 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
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