$7.95

The minimum wage in Ohio is $7.95/hr. I have watched a lot of discussion in the news about the rate of inflation, the depressed economy, and the rising cost of healthcare indicating a need to raise the minimum wage for working Americans. We talk about the disappearing middle class, while we discuss the addition of jobs which mimic the feeling of changing tides.

What we don't talk about in greater detail is the underemployed. Today more Americans are underemployed, under appreciated, and over qualified for the jobs they work in. We cut salaries and benefits while raising insurance premiums and job responsibilities. In Korea, I paid approximately 3 dollars for a doctor's visit and about 5 dollars for prescriptions. There were no hidden fees, co-pays, coinsurance, or deductibles to be met. Today, I struggle to figure out the algorithms utilized to determine that I owe an additional $82.23 for an MRI reading after I have met both my deductible and coinsurance for the year.

What about the salaried workers, where we have no set minimum on the cost of full-time work? Most salaried workers are hired for 40 hours of work a week. Most of us work more than 40 hours. If I count the amount of time spent tutoring, grading papers, lesson planning, e-mailing students/parents, I work anywhere between a 10-12 hour day (I am excluding the time I put in during the weekends). If you factor in my salary of 10 months of paid work, I make approximately $6.80 an hour every day I work with my advanced degrees in Education. That is below the state's minimum wage. However, no one, including my employers believes that paying me that amount of money is unacceptable, and more importantly unlivable. I am being told it accept it for what it is, a job that someone else would be willing to work.

I try not to complain to my friends. Especially, the ones who are not necessarily struggling to make ends meet with their salaried jobs. I nod my head at their suggestions and agree to look at this website and that. But the truth is, I have looked everywhere. I apply everyday for jobs in education, in science, out of education, in sales, etc. No one responds. Or worse yet I go to an interview, and get told that I am qualified but my license prevents me from gaining employment or that I am overqualified. I struggle thinking that I made a mistake in my career choices, and that at 33 my doctorate will result in me making $6.80/hr for the rest of my life.

I try to repeat the mantra of positivity: "At least I have a job". But what is the work for and what is the hours I put in mean, when I can barely afford to put food in my mouth or gas in my car? Yes, I will die a person who is well-liked and well-respected but what about this life? I don't feel like I have much of a life these days. Because so much is wrapped around money, or the lack of. I don't buy new clothes. I don't go on vacations. I didn't even say anything about wanting to celebrate my birthday to any friends. I counted quarters this past week to put money in the bank to cover rent. I stress about dropping my health insurance because they are raising the premium by 20% with no change in my salary for next year.

And each week, I feel more beat down and more like a failure. I worked so hard, to be where, one step away from homeless? I see the people on the corner with their cardboard signs, and realize that I just a pay check away from their situation. I spend my free time coming job boards and social media sites for employment.

I talked with the business manager at work today about my salary, and was told, "We don't have the money to pay more". (He agreed that he would not be able to live on the salary I am paid.) But I am stuck. It is the only job I have managed to get, and God knows I have applied anywhere and everywhere else. I am even beginning to contemplate moving overseas again, just so I can take care of myself and my family. I feel like I live in a country that doesn't care what happens to me or others like me.

And it is so hard not to be bitter, and feel like life is so unfair. I work in a job that is often thankless and selfless, and I have nothing to show for it. I am so tired. I am so stressed. I sometimes feel like I am drowning. I am trying not to lose it some days.

Today is one of them. The difference between being paid $6.80/hr at my job and $7.95/hr comes out to approximately an additional $2000/yr. That would also be equal to approximately 3 months of rent, six months of groceries, or 500 gallons of gas. It makes a difference. A livable wage would make a difference. I am not talking about a wage that allows me vacations, I am talking about a wage that allows me to pay bills on time, every time.

And sadly, my story is one of many. I am the face of middle class America. I am college educated, articulate, goal oriented, and hard working. But I am also underpaid, underemployed, and in a dead end. My competition for jobs are thousands of others like me who are struggling to find a way out. We keep applying, and struggle to figure out our next choice.

This has nothing to do with political affiliation, gender, religion, etc. Rather it has to do with the fact that we are living in a country were we no longer are willing to talk things out together to solve problems. We rather point fingers, blame this party or that one, or pin our troubles on one specific demographic group.

$7.95/hr is a symbol of division that exists in our country. There are too many have and have nots walking around, there is no Goldilocks problems of "just enough" in our society. And to be honest, I have no idea myself where we begin to fix the problems. I just know that while people dream of the future, I am thinking about now. What am I supposed to do now? How do I make it through tomorrow?

How much longer can I keep going?