The working poor: survey study

Zuzana Řimnáčová, Alena Kajanová
University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

Korespondenční autor: Zuzana Řimnáčová (rimnaz00@zsf.jcu.cz)

ISSN 1804-7181 (On-line)

Full verze:

Submitted:16. 9. 2016
Accepted: 22. 11. 2016
Published online: 31. 12. 2016

Summary

The aim of this survey study is to define the group of the working poor within the Czech Republic and in the selected countries. Comparison of this group can be a benefit for future research and improvement of the quality of life of the working poor. This survey study is based on articles in the SCOPUS, EBSCO and Google Scholar databases. The data have been processed through the method of the text analysis of documents. The working poor are currently an inexplicitly defined group of people. Researches show that there are two indicators for evaluation of the working poor. One of them is the so-called poverty level that is set by a certain percentage from the median of income of the particular state (mostly 50% or 60%). The second indicator is a minimum wage. The working poor are often people who work only part-time and whose wages are in the amount of about a minimum wage. Unfortunately, even people working full time often get wages at the poverty level. However, despite this fact, people still more often choose a less stable job with a minimum wage rather than being unemployed. A job provides them with a certain barrier against falling into social exclusion. Of course, the poverty level as well as the minimum wage differ in particular countries. The number of people living under the poverty level also differs. At present, the only country that explicitly defines this group are the United States of America. Approximately 14% of the population work below the poverty level there. In the whole of Asia it is about 29.5% of the population, and Asia is in one of the top positions among the countries with the biggest level of poverty in the world. The researches done in Europe show similar numbers. In the Czech Republic, the amount of the working poor is about 4% of the population. In Poland the number is about 7%, and in the UK about 8% of the population work below the poverty level. The researches from Eurostat, which have been done within Europe, look more favourable for the Czech Republic than for many other states. In 2014 the Czech Republic was a country that has one of the least dangers of poverty for those who are working.

Keywords: working poor; poor people; employed; minimum wage; low income; low-wage workers

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