Mindestlohn zur Existenzsicherung?

The book examines a general minimum wage under German constitutional and European Union law. It uses an interdisciplinary approach and takes into account also economic and sociological aspects. The first part of the legal enquiry is concerned with whether a minimum wage is compatible with freedoms included in the German Constitution and the European Union law. The second part focusses on equality. A general minimum wage aims at providing basic financial support to employees. While this is a task for society as a whole, the minimum wage burdens only the employers. Since aspects which could possibly justify this unequal treatment prove unconvincing, the conclusion is the unconstitutionality of the minimum wage. Instead, the only available option would be to provide for insufficently remunerated employees through tax-financed grants. The book concludes with thoughts on such measures, in particular on the Earned Income Tax Credit as implemented in the US.