Minimum wage workers cannot afford rent in any U.S. state

[DennisinMH]

Some thoughts:

1. I'm working about 45-50 hours a week. But from 2 part time jobs. So I have no health benefits, sick or vacation days, or holidays. Good side is that we're no longer living paycheck to paycheck like many folks have to do. But more and more, wife is thinking of retiring at end of this year. Since I'm on her insurance, I've been looking for FT work with benefits. Actually been looking for almost 5 years, but wonder if employers pass on me when they see when I graduated from college.

2. Flipping burgers or working at a deli is not necessarily a bad job choice. Many managers, including McDonald's executives started out... flipping burgers. At Jason's Deli, we've had at least 4 employees go into the manager training program, and now are successful managers in East Peoria or Bloomington.

3. The Woodruff Training and Career Center is a big plus for Peoria, because perhaps not every student is destined for college.

4. Is $15/hour to much for fast food employees? Probably, IMO. But I'd be willing to work for $11/hour doing a job I have a passion for, shooting/editing videos. Do a job you have a passion for, and it won't feel like a job.

[DennisinMH]

WYZZ just aired a story about a 19-year old man who decided college was not for him (don't recall where he was), started his own bakery business...and story indicated that it's successful, tries hard to keep up with demand. Apparently he became interested in culinary while in high school.

[JustRight]

Some thoughts:

1. I'm working about 45-50 hours a week. But from 2 part time jobs. So I have no health benefits, sick or vacation days, or holidays. Good side is that we're no longer living paycheck to paycheck like many folks have to do. But more and more, wife is thinking of retiring at end of this year. Since I'm on her insurance, I've been looking for FT work with benefits. Actually been looking for almost 5 years, but wonder if employers pass on me when they see when I graduated from college.

2. Flipping burgers or working at a deli is not necessarily a bad job choice. Many managers, including McDonald's executives started out... flipping burgers. At Jason's Deli, we've had at least 4 employees go into the manager training program, and now are successful managers in East Peoria or Bloomington.

3. The Woodruff Training and Career Center is a big plus for Peoria, because perhaps not every student is destined for college.

4. Is $15/hour to much for fast food employees? Probably, IMO. But I'd be willing to work for $11/hour doing a job I have a passion for, shooting/editing videos. Do a job you have a passion for, and it won't feel like a job.

I spoke last night with a former server at a local restaurant. Although she enjoyed the job, she recently chose to leave to work as a shelf stocker at Walmart instead. She gets the new, higher minimum wage, and also gets benefits. She’ll soon be getting a bonus (all Walmart employees will). There’s no guessing if she’ll make enough in tips to cover her expenses. She sticks in her earbuds, and zones out while putting product on the shelves. Did I mention that she dropped out of high school years ago? She’s not lazy, or unmotivated, just doing what she needs to in order to survive.

[Pock]

Some thoughts:

1. I'm working about 45-50 hours a week. But from 2 part time jobs. So I have no health benefits, sick or vacation days, or holidays. Good side is that we're no longer living paycheck to paycheck like many folks have to do. But more and more, wife is thinking of retiring at end of this year. Since I'm on her insurance, I've been looking for FT work with benefits. Actually been looking for almost 5 years, but wonder if employers pass on me when they see when I graduated from college.

2. Flipping burgers or working at a deli is not necessarily a bad job choice. Many managers, including McDonald's executives started out... flipping burgers. At Jason's Deli, we've had at least 4 employees go into the manager training program, and now are successful managers in East Peoria or Bloomington.

3. The Woodruff Training and Career Center is a big plus for Peoria, because perhaps not every student is destined for college.

4. Is $15/hour to much for fast food employees? Probably, IMO. But I'd be willing to work for $11/hour doing a job I have a passion for, shooting/editing videos. Do a job you have a passion for, and it won't feel like a job.

I spoke last night with a former server at a local restaurant. Although she enjoyed the job, she recently chose to leave to work as a shelf stocker at Walmart instead. She gets the new, higher minimum wage, and also gets benefits. She’ll soon be getting a bonus (all Walmart employees will). There’s no guessing if she’ll make enough in tips to cover her expenses. She sticks in her earbuds, and zones out while putting product on the shelves. Did I mention that she dropped out of high school years ago? She’s not lazy, or unmotivated, just doing what she needs to in order to survive.

I read somewhere that a lot of people make career decisions based on benefits. I wonder how many people would choose a job that they actually want to do if they weren't burdened by seeking medical insurance.

[LovelyRita]

[/quote]
I read somewhere that a lot of people make career decisions based on benefits. I wonder how many people would choose a job that they actually want to do if they weren't burdened by seeking medical insurance.
[/quote]

YES!!!

Health insurance should not be tied to employment.

[AV8R]

I wonder how many people would choose a job that they actually want to do if they weren't burdened by seeking medical insurance.

I wonder how many would spend their days doing something they enjoy if they weren't burdened by work? But alas, work is a reality. Work hard enough, make some sacrifices, and plan well you'll be rewarded with what's called "the golden years" where guess what? You can spend your days doing what you enjoy without the burden of work

[LovelyRita]

People in my generation will not be able to retire. The "Golden Years" don't exist anymore.

[JustRight]

Some thoughts:

1. I'm working about 45-50 hours a week. But from 2 part time jobs. So I have no health benefits, sick or vacation days, or holidays. Good side is that we're no longer living paycheck to paycheck like many folks have to do. But more and more, wife is thinking of retiring at end of this year. Since I'm on her insurance, I've been looking for FT work with benefits. Actually been looking for almost 5 years, but wonder if employers pass on me when they see when I graduated from college.

2. Flipping burgers or working at a deli is not necessarily a bad job choice. Many managers, including McDonald's executives started out... flipping burgers. At Jason's Deli, we've had at least 4 employees go into the manager training program, and now are successful managers in East Peoria or Bloomington.

3. The Woodruff Training and Career Center is a big plus for Peoria, because perhaps not every student is destined for college.

4. Is $15/hour to much for fast food employees? Probably, IMO. But I'd be willing to work for $11/hour doing a job I have a passion for, shooting/editing videos. Do a job you have a passion for, and it won't feel like a job.

I spoke last night with a former server at a local restaurant. Although she enjoyed the job, she recently chose to leave to work as a shelf stocker at Walmart instead. She gets the new, higher minimum wage, and also gets benefits. She’ll soon be getting a bonus (all Walmart employees will). There’s no guessing if she’ll make enough in tips to cover her expenses. She sticks in her earbuds, and zones out while putting product on the shelves. Did I mention that she dropped out of high school years ago? She’s not lazy, or unmotivated, just doing what she needs to in order to survive.

I read somewhere that a lot of people make career decisions based on benefits. I wonder how many people would choose a job that they actually want to do if they weren't burdened by seeking medical insurance.

Don’t you remember the “follow your bliss” argument for implementing Obamacare? It lead to many Millennials getting college degrees in Medieval Art and Gender Studies. Those same people are now working for Walmart because no one will pay them for their expertise in their “bliss”.

[LovelyRita]

Obamacare encouraged millenials to get worthless liberal arts degrees so now they have to work at Walmart?

That's nonsense.

[DennisinMH]

I read somewhere that a lot of people make career decisions based on benefits. I wonder how many people would choose a job that they actually want to do if they weren't burdened by seeking medical insurance

Oh, I would love to have a job just like the one I had for 27 years. The jobs I see that I think I could do well are ones that I don't think employers imagine a 60- year old male doing. Such as being a front desk receptionist.