Policymakers agree that it is important to support low-wage workers in today's volatile economy. But first, they must have a clear understanding of the group they are trying to help.
Research by the Urban Institute's WorkRise network revealed six characteristics of low-wage workers.
About a quarter of workers (around 30 million) are low wage. Researchers defined low-wage as two-thirds of the median wage of workers in their prime working years of ages 25 to 54, or $17 an hour. A person working full time at that threshold makes about $35,000 a year. Low-wage workers also receive fewer benefits compared with their higher-earning peers
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