The folly of a $15 minimum wage Is boosting middle-class income worth eliminating jobs for the most vulnerable workers in the labor market? By Michael R. Strain Bloomberg Opinion January 25, 2021 — 5:22pm Text size Copy shortlink: President Joe Biden is already working hard to sell his ambitious plan to get people back to work and help the economy heal from the pandemic recession. It's too bad the plan includes a key element that would get in the way: a $15 federal minimum wage that would slow the recovery and devastate many low-wage workers. Few policy issues are as charged as the minimum wage, with supporters and opponents alike making extreme arguments.