The Economic Consequences of Homelessness in The US

It’s time to bust some myths and pay these workers the wages, and respect, they
deserve. Then check out our map and report for more info on An agenda to give
America’s working poor a raise.
Myth #1: Most workers in low-wage jobs are young or starting out at the entry
level.
If you define a “low” wage as under $15 per hour, you’re referring to almost half the
workforce in the US.
Today 73 percent of workers earning under $15 per hour nationwide are older than 25.
Overall, 58 million workers (44 percent) earn under $15 an hour; 42 million earn under
$12 an hour. Many are parents of young children. Over 125 million people, including
over 31.5 million children, live in households with at least one worker earning under $15
an hour. That’s more than 42 percent of the children in the US. Roughly one third of
parents earning low wages are single parents.
While some workers may find ladders out of low-wage jobs, millions stay in these jobs
for their working lives. For example, the median age of the more than 1.4 million home
care aides in the US is 45; nearly half graduated high school and have had some
college education; the majority work full-time. However, with a median wage of $10.25
an hour, 54 percent live near poverty. This is one of the fastest-growing occupations in
the US, projected to increase by 26 percent in the next ten years.
For decades, US workers have faced wage stagnation and a federal minimum wage
that has not budged since Congress last raised it in 2009 certainly has not helped. For
seven years, it’s been stuck at $7.25 an hour: $290 a week, $15,000 a year. In that
time, the cost of groceries has increased 25 percent; rent has increased over 50
percent.
Myth #2: Most employers provide workers with earned sick time after a certain
tenure on the job.
Not only is this not true, in a cruel twist of fate, it has a disproportionate effect on those
who can least afford it. In the private sector, well-paid workers are much more likely to
enjoy paid sick leave than low-wage workers: 80 percent of high-wage workers have
sick time vs. 15 percent of low-wage workers.
The US is unique among developed nations in not requiring employers to provide sick
days. In fact, the law does not even protect workers from being fired if they miss work
due to illness. In a recent Oxfam survey, one in seven low-wage women workers
reported having lost a job as a result of taking a sick day.
This leaves low-wage workers gingerly walking a tightrope over a vertiginous drop, often
holding hands with young children and aging parents, praying that no one will catch a
cold, contract the flu, break a bone, or get a stomach bug. Any hitch, and they could all
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