I guess the term 'minimum wage' doesn't exist much in the US? Surely people earn more then that an hour, $20.00 minimum at least, well depending on where you live etc.

even $20 an hour is very hard to live on... unless you have 10 people in the house with you to split bills.

I see, so what are we talking like $30.00 instead then? Or more? If so, I can see why American companies take a capitalist attitude toward everything. They'll need to make millions just so that the employees can get a high enough minimum amount on their pay. That is if they get the job and the company isn't keeping 80% of the profits to themselves and overpaid investors?

I live alone and can barely keep up with bills and expenses at 30 hr... how can anyone survive on min wage

I was wondering what the minimum wage was? I guess since America is so vast, they probably would have businesses that pay $100 an hour? If so, that would really explain way too much why these companies are the way they are.

It can also depend on the job you have too I suppose? That amount was actually the amount I was thinking of as being the minimum at least. Tony obviously was going for a higher paid position of which $17.00 isn't enough.

Another symptom of late stage capitalism...

I'm with you, getting cut loose after 14 years.

News flash! Economy is shit, and too many rich people are shit too.

The way things are heading, you might be lucky to find anything offering more than 20/hour. It seems most businesses want people with experience, but want to pay them the same as any part-time teenaged employee. If you need to settle for lower pay, I atleast hope they bump it up after your probationary period and also give you good benefits.

I live in a 2 bedroom apartment with a front room converted into a third bedroom and there is 5 adults, my roomates 2 kids and teenager all cramped into this place because the rent is expensive and im the only one out of the entire houshold making 28 an hr paving asphault. Im having to literally maintain the bills cause everyone else makes under 15 in this apartment besides me. its not fun having to cram this many people into such a tiny apartment just to survive. but due to greed. its hard to find a more stable income to live on your own. Thats why im planning to full-time live in an RV i got for free that im fixing up slowly just so i can live cheap and save money while on the road and working at the same time. Owning a home or living in an apartment is just not worth it in this current time with how little can be made by workers.

I feel you there. Worked in 2 seperate bog box auto parts companies as a store manager, made less than what some counter sales reps at dealerships in my area make. I changed to a semi-local company and took an assistant manager position, making 11k more a year than what I was, better benefits, and doing 1/2 the work and way less stress....

Big box does not care, you are just a number to them