Washington Post Series Examines Experiences of U.S. Low-Wage Workers

The Washington Post on Sunday launched a series of reports examining the "lives of low-wage workers" based on a survey by the Post, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University. "Many struggle to pay for life's basics -- housing, food and health care -- and most report having virtually no financial cushion should they stumble," the Post reports.

For the telephone survey, 1,350 randomly selected low-wage workers were polled between June 18 and July 7. Low-wage workers were defined as adults ages 18 to 64 working at least 30 hours per week, not self-employed and earning $27,000 or less in 2007. According to the Post, nearly one-quarter of all U.S. adults meet the survey's conditions.

The survey found that most low-wage workers have difficulties affording health care and housing. According to the survey, three in 10 low-wage workers are employed by companies that do not offer health insurance, and about four in 10 low-wage workers are employed by companies that do not offer sick days. More than half of low-wage workers said they have postponed necessary medical or dental care to reduce expenses, the survey found. About half of low-wage workers said they took the Earned Income Tax Credit last year, and about half of those with children said they received health care for their children through Medicaid or SCHIP (Fletcher/Cohen, Washington Post, 8/3).

While many express no opinion about whether presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) or presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) would do more to improve the economy or health care, "Obama has the clear edge among those who picked a favorite on these core issues," the Post reports. Overall, Obama holds a 2 to 1 edge over McCain in the poll among low-wage workers.

Seven in 10 low-wage workers said the federal government should focus on helping them find more affordable health care coverage, a "core component of Obama's campaign," according to the Post (Shear/Cohen, Washington Post, 8/4).

The survey is available online.