When we tell people we are taking a course called “Hunger and Homelessness in America,” what do they think? Signing up to take this course, I thought about the very poor, the people that are invisible and cast out of society. I think our initial reactions to discussing poverty we think about people that are the most disadvantaged.

When do we talk about the working poor? This week we are reading about the working poor- people that may or may not qualify for social services, may or may not have a minimum wage job, may or may not feel stuck.

This weekend I read an article titled “Job Market Leaves Fed in Limbo” in the Wall Street Journal and investigated its contents to reveal some hidden truths about the United State’s recent job growth. Last month, there were 151,000 jobs added to the labor market with the unemployment rate at 4.9%, the lowest since 2008. Wal-Mart says they’re giving their hourly employees a raise in February. This sounds pretty good doesn’t it?

On the flip side, I think there are some factors we should consider and unpack as sociologists. The jobs that added in January are in the two lowest paying sectors- retail trade and leisure and hospitality. This creates potentially more part-time work and gaps in skill to be able to have a higher paying job.

So while there might be more availability with low paying jobs, the opportunity in the long run is not looking up for people closer to the bottom of society like the working poor.

How else do you think this effects our economy and the working poor?

http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-january-nonfarm-payrolls-up-by-151-000-jobless-rate-4-9-1454679110