#5SmartReads - April 15, 2021

On the real costs of minimum wage & healthcare and Roshani Chokshi

She Works 2 Jobs. Her Grocery Budget Is $25. This Is Life Near Minimum Wage (NPR)

“When asked about why they stay in low-paying jobs, workers often say there aren't many options around them. Franceis and Barnes both also said something else: They love their work, just the pay and benefits are lacking.”

I find the perspectives of the workers to be the ones that are missing when we talk about the minimum wage. One side tends to paint them as a monolith with similar experiences and needs, and the other side is laser focused on the job cuts that would result from such increases.

The truth is, as always, more complicated than that.