Working Paper: NBER ID: w22578
Authors: Brady P. Horn; Joanna Catherine Maclean; Michael R. Strain
Abstract: This study investigates whether minimum wage increases in the United States affect an important non-market outcome: worker health. To study this question, we use data on lesser-skilled workers from the 1993-2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Surveys coupled with differences-in-differences and triple-difference models. We find little evidence that minimum wage increases lead to improvements in overall worker health. In fact, we find some evidence that minimum wage increases may decrease some aspects of health, especially among unemployed male workers. We also find evidence that increases reduce mental strain among employed workers.
Keywords: Minimum Wage; Worker Health; Differences-in-Differences; Health Outcomes
JEL Codes: I10; I18
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage increase (J38) | Probability that male workers report health as fair or poor (J79) |
| Minimum wage increase (J38) | Probability that employed men report health as fair or poor (J79) |
| Minimum wage increase (J38) | Number of bad physical health days reported for unemployed men (I12) |
| Minimum wage increase (J38) | Number of bad mental health days reported for employed men (I12) |
| Minimum wage increase (J38) | Health outcomes for female workers (J28) |