Making Work Pay

There has long been an implied social contract in the United States promising that if people work hard they will be able to earn enough to support their families. Increasingly, that contract is broken. As the number of low- wage jobs continues to grow, urban leaders must confront the social cost of large numbers of citizens who fall into the category of the “working poor.”

"Making Work Pay," By Dr. Susan Lloyd,  addresses the composition of the low-wage workforce, factors that have contributed to the growth of low-wage work, government supports available to the working poor, and promising strategies to connect such workers to opportunities in the labor market. It concludes with a series of steps urban leaders can take to strengthen their communities by assisting low-wage workers.