• A living wage is a socially acceptable level of income that provides adequate coverage for basic needs such as food, housing, children’s services and health care.

  • The cost of living allows you to spend no more than 30% on rent or mortgage and well above the poverty level.
  • The concept of a living wage is not new and goes back to early America when workers demanded higher pay.
  • The living wage should not be confused with the minimum wage, which is the smallest amount of money a person can earn under the law.
  • Proponents of the living wage say they boost employee productivity and morale, while critics say they can hurt the economy and force corporations to cut hiring.