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True Face of Minimum Living

By aflcio

As United States citizens, we are challenge to keep up on a new trend of minimum living. Right now, our way of legally providing for others and ourselves is through a vocation. We work each week for an agreed upon wage. The median earning in 2007 for men who worked full time was $45,113. For women, the median earning for the year was $35,102 (U.S. Census Bureau). That would mean men earn $21.69 per hour, and $16.88 per hour for women. Now imagine living off almost half of that. Can it be done? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the wage is $6.55 per hour. A single man or woman who works full time, who takes no vacations or sick days, will accumulate a pre-tax total of $13,624 for the year. That sum is roughly $21,000 less than what an average woman makes and $32,000 less than what the average man makes. After the IRS, Medicare, and Social Security take their total share of $1,510, one is left with only $12,114 net pay to be used for expenses and such for the year.

Essential expenses will come out of the net pay first, which includes shelter, food, clothing, and household items like soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste As for food, fresh produce and meats are out of the question due to their particularly high prices. Clothing can easily be purchased at a thrift or discount store for $50 a month, and household necessities can be purchased for around $50 per month as well. This makes clothing and household necessities totaling to $1,200 per year. Collectively rent, food, clothing, and household items will cost a single, minimum wage earner $8,725 per year, leaving a net total of only a measly $3,389 per year. Another area of expenditures are emergency funds, entertainment, and other miscellaneous expenses. At least $1,000 per month should be set aside for emergency purposes, and though that may not seem like a lot, with such a tight budget it will have to do. Another $1,000 could be set aside for miscellaneous. Entertainment in a predicament like this would be limited. Also keep in mind the possibility of free entertainment like the use of public parks will help aid in ones search for low-cost entertainment

As one can see, there is a thinning fine line between whether one can live off minimum wage or not. A yearly net total of just $1,089 does not leave room for fluctuation in how one spends their money. If the wage earner is unable to locate and secure inexpensive housing and absolutely does not need a car, these expenses will indisputably make it near impossible to live with one minimum wage job. Also left out of this example were costly habits such as smoking, and the assumption that the earner did not accumulate debt, which both can be extremely costly. Sometimes so costly that it would reach a point where there would be no way of being able to live off minimum wage. Minimum wage at this moment in time apparently does mean minimum living.

July 6, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Stunned by the Expected: Extended Federal Unemployment Benefits Expires

Many unemployed Americans survived the existing weak economy of the country by the extended federal unemployment benefits. Last year, the U.S.A. House of Representatives approved a provision for the extension of the federal unemployment benefits bill which will be enjoyed by the unemployed Americans up to 20 weeks. According to the recent studies, there are still about 5 million Americans are unemployed. Unemployment insurance is compensation provided to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own. Unemployment provides compensation for a specific period of time or until the worker finds a new job. The extended unemployment benefits finally expired and the debate on another extension was rejected by the senate.

In some U.S.A states like North Idaho, last May 2010, Unemployment benefits for thousands of workers have expired. Legislation that would provide an extension of federal extended unemployment benefits, which have expired, has been rejected by the Senate. This is terrible news for most unemployed Americans, the extended unemployment benefits which assisted them in their daily struggles faded away. The unemployment insurance coverage includes government assistance and support from non-profit social groups. The government assistance formulated valuable programs like the temporary assistance for needy families which assists the unemployed Americans and their families with their food stamps, financial assistance, training, and job searching. Other programs are federal Food Stamp Program, now called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps low income families and individuals buy food; Women-Infants-Children (WIC) is a supplemental nutrition program administered by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Medicaid which provides medical assistance for families with low income or medical insurance. There are varieties of social and non profit organizations accommodating unemployed Americans to search for jobs. Most of the financial aid of the government for the unemployed Americans deteriorated or delayed when the extension of this legislation was rejected.

According to the U.S.A. senate, they truly understand the sentiments of their fellow unemployed Americans yet the number of unemployed Americans are merely decreasing. The US government needs another 40 billion dollars to extend the unemployment insurance coverage. The government is pursuing its dedication to reduce the expenses due to the existing and continuous weak economy. The senate declared that this program has failed its purpose because it’s supposedly assisting the millions of unemployed Americans to look for decent jobs and earn their living; instead it made most unemployed Americans depended on the program and its unemployment benefits or incentives. Yet, through the earnest efforts of the department of labor, the senators are still trying its best to put the unemployment checks as their top priority. Since, the only unemployment benefit available at this time is unemployment Insurance for those displaced workers who qualify for the program.

Unemployment is a gradual disease eating up the country; job means a financial support to the family and support of individual basic necessities like shelter, food and clothing. With the prevailing and increasing unemployment rates, the country is suffering as much as the individual Americans do because it marks a low progressing economy.  Even though the government never ceases to provide and assist the unemployed Americans, still the existing problems continuous to annihilate the simple lives of many; one of the government’s program is the Emergency Unemployment Compensation is a program funded on a federal level, which provides benefits to displaced workers who have exhausted regular unemployment state benefits which expired on June 2, 2010.

Most of the unemployed Americans know that the unemployment benefit has its expiration; still they protest for the non-extension of the extended federal unemployment benefit. It is a difficult year for most of the Americans but as a country, the government continuously supports each fellow Americans to reach an optimum level of functioning. Undeniably, unemployment is a product of social, economic and financial mismanagement and negligence. So, it is better for the US government to address the solution faster than what is expected.

Resources

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/unemployment/a/unemploymentrunsout.htm

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchglossary/g/extendedunemployment.htm

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/house-extends-unemployment-benefits/story?id=9007141&page=1

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/unemployment/a/unempextension.htm

http://www.krem.com/news/local/Unemployment-benefits-for-thousands-in-Idaho-run-out-96930634.html

http://www2.wspa.com/news/2010/jun/23/unemployment-extension-legislation-update-ar-434488/

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0oGdERwxCJMaTMAuLhXNyoA?p=unemployment+benefits+news&fr2=sb-top&fr=yfp-t-892&fp_ip=ph&rd=r1&meta=vc%3Dph&sao=0

http://gcnewsgazette.com/bookmark/8014197

June 24, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Equality for All: Expansion of Family and Medical Leave Act for Gay Workers

Hilda Solis, U.S.A Labor Secretary, will announce on Wednesday that homosexual workers will be given wider option and extended benefit under the Family and Medical leave Act providing them opportunities to enjoy the same benefits as other family and heterosexual couples. The Family and Medical Leave Act allows workers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year to take care of loved ones or themselves.

President Barack Obama issued some major changes in the existing policies of the Family and Medical Leave Act without creating a dramatic nuisance or controversial outbreak despite the continuous opposition of the republicans. The U.S.A. Department of Labor through President Barack Obama’s advocacy regulated another provision which allows a gay federal employee may take leave to care for a child with a gay partner. President Obama gradually lay down the regulations for the equal treatment of the gay and lesbians in the community.

Some of the other changes in the policy of the Family and Medical Leave Act; gay partners of federal workers will now receive long-term health insurance, access to day care. President Barack Obama also authorized child-care services and subsidies; more flexibility to use family leave to attend to the needs of domestic partners and their children and relocation benefits. Hospitals must allow gays to visit their ill partners. Federal child-care subsidies can be used by the children of same-sex domestic partners. Federal Housing Authority loans can no longer consider the sexual orientation of applicants. These changes empower every citizen of the country thus allowing the community to grow as one unit which creates consistency and equality.

With the earnest effort of President Obama’s Administration; the implementation of these policies are still pressured by some of the gay and lesbian activist. One of the issues is the slow action of the administration to repeal the Federal Defense of Marriage Act and bring an end to the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. In defense, administration officials are quick to note their legislative successes. President Obama signed a federal hate crimes bill into law that for the first time provides protections against crimes committed on the basis of sexual orientation.

For decades, gays and lesbians struggle to fight for their rights, to give them equal treatment and consideration because after all, we are all human living in the same world; it is just like the Blacks who place a huge effort fighting for their right to be treated and respected as valued human being; these amendments and regulations of the Family and Medical Act breaks the barriers of discrimination, false promises and sustains hope among the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens.

According to Shin Inouye, a White House spokesman, “The president and his administration remain committed to achieving equality for all, and it’s clear that we’re moving forward.”  The Department of Labor together with the whole system of President Barack Obama’s administration never ceases to fulfill the needs of the country. Some people believe that gays-lesbians do not deserve these rights because they contradict the true sexual identity of a human which we are born with–a man or a woman. Some people think that everyone, be it a man, woman, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, is worthy of such respect and equality as long as we, all act responsibly and remain value-oriented. No matter what people think or believe, we all contradict and affirm our individual perspectives and views on life and existence. President Obama’s policies reflects the sensitivity and nurturing capacity of a leader, a role model who does not only protect the community but maintains the value of respect and upholds  the right of every citizen for a justified and equal service and treatment this country has to offer.

Resources

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/21/AR2010062104709.html?wprss=rss_nation

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/21/AR2010062104709_2.html?wprss=rss_nation

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obama_gay_rights;_ylt=Alg8VEd.Sg.OYE26UUSGFFhv24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTM4MTNsbGl1BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwNjIyL3VzX29iYW1hX2dheV9yaWdodHMEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwM2BHBvcwM2BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDYXBzb3VyY2VzZ2F5

June 23, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

   

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