Post by Logan on Feb 21, 2016 6:30:11 GMT -6
During my first year as a state senator, I championed a bill requiring large, for-profit corporations to pay a fee to the state for every low-wage job they offered. Dozens of workers testified that they just could not make it on wages of $9, $10 or $11 per hour. They told heartbreaking stories of deciding whether to pay for food or medicine or rent or heat. We all hear the stories, but I decided if I am going to propose legislation, then I need to talk with authority and knowledge.
So, last summer, I became a seasonal retail store employee in one of my district's large stores. It was eye-opening.
They asked how many hours I would be willing to work and I said a minimum of 20 hours a week would suffice. That question had no connection to how many hours I would get. My pay was $9.50 an hour, despite my efforts to negotiate for more because I had sales experience.
At the orientation, trainees got information about being an effective team member, company policies and the importance of not working more than 39 hours a week. They seemed deathly afraid of paying anyone overtime (a laughable $14.25 an hour in my case).
Read more: www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-insight-moore-feeling-grind-of-low-wage-job-0221-20160219-story.html
So, last summer, I became a seasonal retail store employee in one of my district's large stores. It was eye-opening.
They asked how many hours I would be willing to work and I said a minimum of 20 hours a week would suffice. That question had no connection to how many hours I would get. My pay was $9.50 an hour, despite my efforts to negotiate for more because I had sales experience.
At the orientation, trainees got information about being an effective team member, company policies and the importance of not working more than 39 hours a week. They seemed deathly afraid of paying anyone overtime (a laughable $14.25 an hour in my case).
Read more: www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-insight-moore-feeling-grind-of-low-wage-job-0221-20160219-story.html