Full-time work doesn't pay': Why are so many working American families living day to day?

Rosalba Hernandez and her husband both work full-time in restaurants, but with five children and a San Diego apartment amid rising inflation and rising rents, the family thrives on their daily lives. I'm here.

The situation became especially difficult after the outbreak of the pandemic. A 2019 immigration raid cost Hernandez her second job at a South Korean grocery store. And when the restaurant where she used to work closely after the state went into lockdown, the family remained in debt, with $6,000 in rent arrears. Cards

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Due to rising housing costs, the couple is renting out a room in a two-bedroom apartment to their family for $800 a month. Daycare costs are out of the question, so Hernandez and her husband work shifts and care for their one-year-old. The tips Hernandez offers also apply to dietary directions.

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"It's stressful because I'm worried about hours being cut or sent home early," Hernandez told USA TODAY through an interpreter. "Every little bit helps."

Food, housing, and medical costs are too high for many American families with full-time jobs, so the Hernandez family isn't alone.

More than 1/3 of U

A recent report by researchers at Brandeis University's Diversitydatakids.org program (Institute for Child, Youth and Family Policy) found that American families who work full-time, year-round have less than enough money to cover their basic household budget. not earning enough for

The situation is even worse for black and Hispanic families, according, to the report. More than half cannot afford basic needs, compared to 25% of Caucasian families and 23% of Asian and Pacific Islander families. Even factoring in education and jobs, injustice persists.

“This makes a huge difference in the opportunities families can offer their children,” says Abigail Walters, a research fellow at the Institute for Child, You and Family Policy.

Working full-time year-round, according to a recent report by researchers at Brandeis University's Diversitydatakids.org program at the Institute for Child, Youth More than a third of American families do not earn enough to cover basic household expenses. and family policy.

A recent report by Brandeis University Diversitydatakids researchers found that more than one-third of U.S. families who work full-time, year-round, earn enough to cover a basic household income. I haven't gotten

Organizational Programs of the Institute for Children, Youth, and Family Policy.

© Getty Images

$15 an hour isn't enough: job seekers want at least $20, making it harder to fight inflation, health care, transportation to work, childcare, and minimal household expenses.

77% of low-income households (households whose income is below 200% of the subsidized poverty measure in 2020, or $52,492 for two adults and two associated children in 2020) work full-time. I can't pay my bill even though

By 2020, more than a quarter of the population, 89.7 million people, will be low-income, according to the Bureau of Population Reference, a non-profit organization that collects statistics used to study the health and structure of the population. was classified as

How far from wealth are these families? It turns out that you will need it. Black and Hispanic families need about $26,000 a year.

The data used in the report is from 2015 to 2019. Researchers say the situation likely worsened after the pandemic led to massive layoffs and record inflation.

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What Can Be Done to Lift Americans Out of Poverty? I discovered that earning an income is not as easy as changing majors or getting a side job.

“There is a problem with structural racism,” said Walters. “There are significant barriers to getting better jobs, whether due to employment discrimination, last hired first fired, pay gap, etc.” Family:

Give working families a raise Giving: Employers can help by raising wages, increasing benefits, and providing opportunities for higher-paying jobs. Alternatively, policymakers can increase family income through higher tax credits.

Improving the Childcare System: A more affordable childcare system will also benefit families struggling to afford basic things.

According to the nonprofit advocacy group Child Care Aware, the average annual cost of childcare in the United States is $10,174.

Expand Paid Family and Sick Leave: Researchers say families should be able to afford sick leave without risking losing a large portion of their jobs and income.

Full-time Families Still Have No Benefits

About 80% of full-time families have access to health insurance from their employer if they are white or Asian. For Blacks or Hispanics, only 71% and 59%, respectively.

Benefits are less common in low-income households. Less than half of low-income full-time Hispanic families have access to health insurance through their employer.

“[Low wages] are not offset by benefits,” says Pamela Joshi, senior research scientist and lead author of the paper.

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