Today as many of us celebrate a day of rest, here are some not-so-fun facts about working Americans (courtesy of Mother Jones):

  • POOR AMERICANS spend 1/4 of their income on residential energy costs.
  • A MINIMUM WAGE employee who works 40 hours a week for 51 weeks a year goes home with $10,506 before taxes.
  • THE $17,530 EARNED by the average Wal-Mart employee last year was $1,820 below the poverty line for a family of 4.

Here are past posts about The Great Divide in Compensation, A Living Wage and The Working Poor. For a perspective on another annual labor observance, catch the link in Shuna Fish Lydon’s interview to the post on A Day Without An Immigrant National Protest.

Then enjoy your day of rest!