A study by the non-partisan Working Poor Families Project concludes a quarter of working families in America are low-income and "are on a treadmill" ? working harder but not getting ahead.
"The bottom line of the report is that one in four working families in our country are low-income. In Minnesota, that translates into 900,000 workers," said Pam Johnson, spokeswoman for the Minnesota Community Action Association. "And, that's more than one-third of our state's workers. It shows that a family of four in Minnesota, with both parents working, must earn at least $11.41 an hour to meet their basic needs."
The report, sponsored by the Casey, Ford and Rockefeller Foundations, also finds 20 million children live in low-income families, the percentage of families in poverty hasn't changed in 30 years, and that 40 percent of minority working-families are low-income -- twice the percentage of white working-families.
The findings raise concerns about the well-being of many working Minnesotans, Johnson said.
"It means that families are feeling unstable," she said. "And parents are feeling like they're on a treadmill - that they're currently working and working, and just can't get ahead. They still can't meet just the basic needs of their families, the housing, food, clothing, insurance coverage. And, that's a concern, if we're concerned about the stability of our communities in Minnesota."
Decent wages and benefits help low-income workers stay on the job, increase productivity and reduce government costs, Johnson said.
Carrie Thomas, policy director for the Minnesota JOBS NOW Coalition, said the report is more evidence that working people need to make enough to support themselves.
"First, Minnesota lawmakers should consider an increase in the minimum wage. And, Congress could take up that issue, as well," she said. "Next, policymakers at both the state and federal level really need to focus on the quality of jobs that we're creating. Because, we really need to look at helping families defray the costs of things like childcare, so they can stay working, or health care, so that they can keep their families in good health."
Too many of the jobs being created in Minnesota have low wages and few benefits, Thomas said.
For more information
Read the report, "Working Hard, Falling Short," on the website of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
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A study by the non-partisan Working Poor Families Project concludes a quarter of working families in America are low-income and “are on a treadmill” ? working harder but not getting ahead.
“The bottom line of the report is that one in four working families in our country are low-income. In Minnesota, that translates into 900,000 workers,” said Pam Johnson, spokeswoman for the Minnesota Community Action Association. “And, that’s more than one-third of our state’s workers. It shows that a family of four in Minnesota, with both parents working, must earn at least $11.41 an hour to meet their basic needs.”
The report, sponsored by the Casey, Ford and Rockefeller Foundations, also finds 20 million children live in low-income families, the percentage of families in poverty hasn’t changed in 30 years, and that 40 percent of minority working-families are low-income — twice the percentage of white working-families.
The findings raise concerns about the well-being of many working Minnesotans, Johnson said.
“It means that families are feeling unstable,” she said. “And parents are feeling like they’re on a treadmill – that they’re currently working and working, and just can’t get ahead. They still can’t meet just the basic needs of their families, the housing, food, clothing, insurance coverage. And, that’s a concern, if we’re concerned about the stability of our communities in Minnesota.”
Decent wages and benefits help low-income workers stay on the job, increase productivity and reduce government costs, Johnson said.
Carrie Thomas, policy director for the Minnesota JOBS NOW Coalition, said the report is more evidence that working people need to make enough to support themselves.
“First, Minnesota lawmakers should consider an increase in the minimum wage. And, Congress could take up that issue, as well,” she said. “Next, policymakers at both the state and federal level really need to focus on the quality of jobs that we’re creating. Because, we really need to look at helping families defray the costs of things like childcare, so they can stay working, or health care, so that they can keep their families in good health.”
Too many of the jobs being created in Minnesota have low wages and few benefits, Thomas said.
For more information
Read the report, “Working Hard, Falling Short,” on the website of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.