I've had people work for me but it's not quite a typical employee-employer relationship.
I don't think a living wage is considered "good money". I think a living wage means a person of one can afford to live in a humble dwelling, with food to eat, and transportation to go to work. I agree, there should be a carrot at the end of a stick to encourage the person making a living wage (which should be minimum wage) to go out and pursue more lucrative employment so he/she can afford cable television, a luxurious car, a spouse and children, etc...
But do you think it's justifiable that hard working people who don't get a raise, or who get a very marginal raise, make less money than when they started after you adjust for inflation?