Factors of the Working Poor
English 101
March 24, 2014
Obstacles Faced by the Working Poor
There are millions of Americans who have jobs but still remain poor despite the strong labor markets; these people are referred to as "the working poor." The working poor are working people whose incomes fall below a given poverty line. Even though these people are working, the wages are insufficient causing them to face numerous obstacles that make it difficult for them to provide the basic necessities to maintain a stable life. Some of these barriers include not having a full-time job, the struggle of finding affordable housing, and lacking higher education. According to the United States Department of Labor, "the working poor lack full-time employment." The author Marlene Kim states, "The working poor work on average two thirds of a year, rather than all year round." One factor that could be affecting the full-year employment could be that the job is seasonal. That would be the explanation as to why the people are only working two thirds of a year. Kim also declares, "The working poor suffer from involuntary layoffs." There are multiple reasons why people get laid off. It could be that the company is losing business and is forced to cut back on staff. It could also be because the company would make more progress if it were all to be machine operated. So these workers are constantly thinking about whether or not their job will be terminated. These workers are pressured out by the thought that they can lose their job at any given moment. It’s almost as if they are expecting the worst even though they work their hardest.
One other obstacle that the working poor face is that they are unable to find affordable housing. In the novel entitled, “Nickel and Dimed” the author, Barbara Ehrenreich, provides different housing situations that her co-workers were going through. After talking amongst themselves, Ehrenreich gathers that “Gail is sharing a room in a well-known downtown flophouse for
March 24, 2014
Obstacles Faced by the Working Poor
There are millions of Americans who have jobs but still remain poor despite the strong labor markets; these people are referred to as "the working poor." The working poor are working people whose incomes fall below a given poverty line. Even though these people are working, the wages are insufficient causing them to face numerous obstacles that make it difficult for them to provide the basic necessities to maintain a stable life. Some of these barriers include not having a full-time job, the struggle of finding affordable housing, and lacking higher education. According to the United States Department of Labor, "the working poor lack full-time employment." The author Marlene Kim states, "The working poor work on average two thirds of a year, rather than all year round." One factor that could be affecting the full-year employment could be that the job is seasonal. That would be the explanation as to why the people are only working two thirds of a year. Kim also declares, "The working poor suffer from involuntary layoffs." There are multiple reasons why people get laid off. It could be that the company is losing business and is forced to cut back on staff. It could also be because the company would make more progress if it were all to be machine operated. So these workers are constantly thinking about whether or not their job will be terminated. These workers are pressured out by the thought that they can lose their job at any given moment. It’s almost as if they are expecting the worst even though they work their hardest.
One other obstacle that the working poor face is that they are unable to find affordable housing. In the novel entitled, “Nickel and Dimed” the author, Barbara Ehrenreich, provides different housing situations that her co-workers were going through. After talking amongst themselves, Ehrenreich gathers that “Gail is sharing a room in a well-known downtown flophouse for