Working but Poor: New Directions for Social Workers

Abstract

The seed for a special issue on the working poor was planted as I watched and listened for many years to a dear man and his family struggle to maintain their humble home. As his health declined, he tapped into modest employer-provided benefits to sustain part of his income. His ability to work eventually ceased. His wife had never worked outside of the home. The family relied on his savings, a small pension, and nominal insurance coverage. Health care costs predictably increased and the family made decisions concerning how to make prescriptions last a bit longer, when to skip a doctor's visit, and which bills to pay. I watched this good, hard-working man become despondent, isolated, and resentful at his long-term employer and the company union. Not surprisingly, his outlook on life impacted the entire family. While this story may not fit the official definition of who is classified as the working poor, it reignited my interest in the impact of work to mental and physical health and family self-sufficiency.