States Must Do More to Support Workers and Families

“Get a Better Job!” “Get an Education!” “Pull Yourself Up by Your Bootstraps!” Too often when workers struggle to make ends meet, these are the messages they hear. Unfortunately, these messages set unrealistic expectations. Rather than creating an environment that helps ensure working families can succeed, too many states set up systems that that workContinue reading “States Must Do More to Support Workers and Families”

Minimum Wage Shouldn’t Force Workers to Live in Poverty

On New Year’s Day, 20 states raised their minimum wages. That leaves a lot of states that aren’t increasing the minimum wage — along with the federal government. Even some of those employees who are getting increases don’t have much to celebrate. Workers in Florida might barely notice their 12-cents-an-hour raise. And the extra 15 centsContinue reading “Minimum Wage Shouldn’t Force Workers to Live in Poverty”

Tipping Subminimum Wage in Favor of Workers

When you go out to dinner at a restaurant you might ask for salad dressing on the side, whether the carrots are organic, or if the chicken is free range, but do you ever ask the restaurant owner if her employees make a living wage? Waitresses and waiters are the largest group of tipped workersContinue reading “Tipping Subminimum Wage in Favor of Workers”