Minimum Wage - How can you survive ?

Semantics? Um.. wow.

While some will inevitably fall through the cracks.. would that be the half million people living in poverty? or the couple hundred thousand who end up with malnutrition in this country?

You made the claim that nobody was starving in this country, which is blatantly false. Food poverty is a serious issue for many people in this country... and no system is going to be reliable enough to provide for everyone concerned. Mistakes will happen, as will inefficiencies.

Except, the previous posts weren't aimed at those in poverty, but those on minimum wage, which don't always go hand-in-hand. The issue of poverty was raised later in the thread for a separate point.

I got my MBA through work, as it was a requirement for that company if I wanted a management position.. and I didn't take off time from work to do it. I still worked my 40-50 hours a week while also studying. I'm not saying it's easy. haha. Oh, good Lord, it wasn't.

There is no one-fit-all. I know a single mother who managed to study while working at a cafe, because the cafe had long periods where it was quiet.. so she was able to do the work needed for her degree. Whereas I know others who don't have such a situation, and can't find any spare time for a university course, however, are doing a range of online qualifications on their phones when they have some free time (flexible learning options). None of this is a suggestion that it's easy... but this is the world we live in. It's a highly regulated world, one that is becoming more controlled as time goes by, which means that degrees, or technical/industry certifications are going to be required for most jobs beyond the most basic of salaries/wages.

I'm getting the feeling that we have a different concept of what poverty entails. There is no need to justify anything if you're in a situation of poverty. It is what it is, and it comes down to individual circumstances. Getting yourself out of that position is what matters, if you can. (Naturally, I don't mean you, personally)

Yup, and they were being called lazy for being on minimum wage. Not for being in poverty. I know people who are on minimum wage, who come from wealthy families, or have partners who are earning very good money. I wouldn't call them lazy for being on minimum wage, but I can understand why others might... but in any case, they're not "poor" as in poverty... Different strokes for different folks, and all that.

Fair enough. I thought you were being specific to such remarks about people in poverty.

Your employer is playing a very risky game, asking questions about children or spouses at an interview.

20 years ago, people weren't as clued up on their rights.

He'd probably be wise to change his ways now before someone he doesn't offer a job to takes a case against him to the WRC under the Employment Equality Acts. They can be awarded up to €12,697.

Example of such a case:

and reaction:

https://thoughtleadership.leman.ie/post/102ek1k/interviews-what-not-to-ask

Which she wouldn't have gotten if the interviewer hadn't asked such inappropriate questions in the first place, even qualified their questions by stating in advance they knew they shouldn't be asking them!

“I shouldn’t be asking you this, but…. Are you a married woman?’ Do you have children? How old are your children?”

What the hell were they thinking?

Instead of aiming your ire at the person who was asked inappropriate questions in an interview setting, why don't you aim it at the person who asked her the inappropriate questions in the first place? Your ire is misplaced.

This woman didnt go into this interview, looking for a way to make money out of it. She felt she was discriminated against on grounds of family status during the interview and she took a case, which she was entitled to do. The case was found in her favour. Women are far too frequently discriminated against if they have children or are of childbearing age, so good on her for standing up for herself.

The lesson here is, if you're an employer, don't ask candidates (of any gender) questions about their marital or family status during an interview, unless you're prepared to risk the interviewee bringing a case to the WRC.