Question

Karen is a home care aid. She earns about $10 an hour and works 40 hours a week. She is unable to save, and last month her car broke down. She cannot afford to fix her car, being already late in paying her bills for gas and electricity. From this description of Karen's life, you conclude that she is a member of which class?

Answer 1

Answer: The working poor class

Explanation: Members of the working poor class work full time but are paid so that their incomes are most often below the poverty line. The members of this class are mostly young adults and women, as Karen in the case here. This means that members of this working class struggle to pay their bills, so basic living needs, and repairing and using a car for work purposes would be a luxury. According to official data, these people spend 27 and often more weeks during the year as a workforce, whether working or looking for job.

In addition to young adults and women, this class includes the elderly and those with some disabilities.