Oxfam America Survey: Low wage workers have it very difficult in the US

Oxfam America, part of the Oxfam International, anti-poverty group, published a survey called "Hard Work, Hard Lives", which details the experiences of 804 low-wage workers in the United States.

Workers in the survey made less than $14.00 per hour and most had a family income of less than $40,000 per year.

Here are some highlights:

Fifty nine percent (59%) of respondants said they "Barely meet" or "Don't have enough to meet" their basic living expenses.

Low wage workers worry most about saving for retirement and unaffordable health expenses. They use food stamps and financial support from friends and family to survive.

Yet, 62% of of low wage workers believe hard work will get them ahead and 94% blieve performing your job well is important or extremely important.

Sadly, 76% of low-payed workers think that people are falling out of the middle class while only 12% are rising into the middle class from the lower class.


The report of the survey is here: "Hard Work; Hard Lives".