r/facepalm • u/flyingcatwithhorns 'MURICA • Aug 28 '24

🇲​🇮​🇸​🇨​ i'm speechless

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u/Salcha_00 Aug 28 '24 edited Aug 28 '24

And the federal minimum wage is only $7.25/hour in most states, which is not a livable wage.

Edit - most states have actually implemented a slightly higher minimum wage ($10-15 /hour) but not really a living wage yet.

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u/YolopezATL Aug 28 '24

Exactly! I make good money but my mom struggled for a long time despite working hard, sometimes at 2 or even 3 jobs.

She was so grateful that a friend of hers at a department store who went to college reached back out to my mom after landing an Administrative Assistant job and convinced them to hire my mom, even without a college degree and only experience in restaurants and retail.

Changed our life. But there are millions of people who could have done her job but were stuck in classifications as “unskilled workers” and making minimum wage.

I cannot remember the stat, but like 80% of jobs can be taught. But everybody deserves to make a living wage because a lot of circumstances in life are based on luck or things you don’t control.

Family you are born into. Where you were born. Your parent’s career trajectory and social network. Etc.

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u/adderal Aug 29 '24

Thanks for sharing!

It should not be understated how valuable your network/past colleagues can be in attaining, retaining, and finding gainful employment opps.

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u/WayGroundbreaking787 Aug 28 '24

The federal minimum wage last went up in 2009 when I graduated high school.

I’m now 33.

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u/mapleleaf1984 Aug 28 '24

Yes, that is also the states problem, it needs to be raised substantially.