The Living Wage Fills the Gap

A Living Wage 

      The living wage is the notion that people, who work full time, 40 hours per week, should be able to afford a basic standard of living within a community. Unlike the minimum wage, the living wage is not set by law or by any governmental body. A living wage might be thought of as a socially accepted baseline that is one step above the poverty line.

What are the basics?

     In the United States, the basics generally mean food, clothing, shelter, utilities, transportation, health care, and includes minimal recreation.  The basics do not necessarily include an ability to save for retirement, acquire any skill development or education, or an ability to care for a sick family member.

Minimum Wage versus Living Wage

      The minimum wage, as originally conceived, was designed to provide for a basic living standard. Yet there is an ever-widening gap between what the minimum wage can provide and what it takes to have a standard of living that provides just the above mentioned basics. The concept of the living wage became popular because popular culture discerned that the minimum wage was not keeping pace with what it costs to live independently today..

Breaking News