A living wage is an hourly wage rate that is high enough to allow a worker to afford the necessities of life, such as housing, food, healthcare, and other basic expenses, without needing to rely on government assistance or other forms of support. It is often calculated based on the cost of living in a particular area and the number of hours a worker is expected to work in a week.
The idea behind a living wage is that workers should be able to earn enough money from their jobs to support themselves and their families without needing to struggle financially. It is different from the minimum wage, which is the lowest wage rate that an employer is legally allowed to pay workers. While the minimum wage is intended to protect workers from being exploited by employers, it may not always be sufficient to support a worker’s basic needs.
The concept of a living wage has gained increasing attention in recent years as concerns about income inequality and the ability of low-wage workers to afford basic necessities have grown. Many organizations and advocacy groups have called for governments and employers to adopt living wage policies to ensure that workers are able to earn a fair wage for their labor.