Bear Drummer wrote:
How can someone who has to support a family live on $15.00/hr ?

I know this is off topic, but most people around here work for less
than half that - assistant managers make $7and change... and a lot of
people work 2 jobs to make ends meet on less than half that. I know
cost of living is more in Boston, but not by that much...

But does that $7/hour include an allowance for them to buy their own tools
and supplies? Do they contribute some of that money to marketing expenses?
Do they spend time off the clock doing things that can't be billed directly
to customers? Do they chip in for the business's expenses? Do they pay both
the employee and employer share of taxes out of that? Do they pay their own
workers comp insurance? Do they pay for liability insurance and bonding? Do
they pay licensing fees, and small business taxes out of that $7/hour? Do
they not have any other benefits that they don't have to buy out of that
$7/hour? Or is that simply what shows on their paycheck before taxes, but
after all of their employer's expenses?

And does it really provide a working-class living, or are they constantly
going further and further into debt?

If the goal of a self-employed person is to bill $15/hour, they'd be better
off taking a minimum wage job even if their business doesn't require any
capital equipment.

--
Warren H.

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