Living Wage

Living wage is a term used to describe the minimum hourly wage necessary for shelter and nutrition for a person for an extended period of time. In developed countries such as the United Kingdom or Switzerland, this standard generally means that a person working forty hours a week, with no additional income, should be able to afford a specified quality or quantity of housing, food, utilities, transport, health care, and recreation.This concept differs from the minimum wage in that the latter is set by law and may fail to meet the requirements of a living wage. It differs somewhat from basic needs in that the basic needs model usually measures a minimum level of consumption, without regard for the source of the income.

Autorentext

Filiz Kartal is a research fellow at Public Administration Institute for Turkey and the Middle East (Ankara, Turkey). She received her Ph.D. in Political Science and Public Administration at Middle East Technical University (2004). Her research interests include political theory, justice, welfare, immigration, and citizenship.