In a shocking workplace incident, a frustrated boss reportedly exploded in anger after his employee, a soon to be father, refused to apply for food stamps despite struggling financially. The employee, who has a pregnant wife and works full-time, had allegedly not responded to his boss’s repeated attempts to help him access government assistance.
“He’s ignored me for four days!” the boss exclaimed during a team meeting, according to eyewitnesses. “I’m trying to help him. He can’t live on what I pay him and I told him that!”
The outburst has sparked outrage and debate online, with many pointing out the deeper issue: a full-time worker shouldn’t need public assistance just to survive. Critics argue the boss’s reaction highlights the exploitative logic of underpaying workers while offloading responsibility onto public welfare programs.
America’s low wage economy
Incidents like the above are not rare as they are the reflection of the state of the economy of the United states. In the United states, millions of the workforce still rely on government assistance while working full-time jobs. According to a 2021 report from the Economic Policy Institute, nearly 40% of U.S. workers earn less than $15 per hour, the threshold that many experts believe is necessary for a basic standard of living in the modern economy. In many states, the federal minimum wage remains stuck at $7.25 per hour, which has not been adjusted for inflation since it was last raised in 2009.
Numerous reports have highlighted instances where employers have suggested to their employees that they seek government assistance, such as food stamps, to supplement their inadequate wages.
Government assistance: its dilemmas
While suggesting that an employee applies for and gets government assistance such as food stamps may come from a place of genuine concern, it is like a double edged sword. The suggestion shows that the company which is responsible for your survival would rather turn you to the government instead of working on and increasing your wages, despite being a hard worker.
For many workers, the idea of applying for food stamps feels like an admission of defeat especially when the employer who pays them is the one suggesting it. It places the burden on the employee to navigate a complex bureaucratic system to access the benefits they’re entitled to, while simultaneously highlighting the inadequacies of their wages.
Stories like this highlights the challenges faced by low-wage workers in the United states. While employers may view offering food stamps as a form of assistance, it often reveals the inability or unwillingness of companies to pay workers a living wage.
