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Old 11-18-2014, 09:04 AM
 
2,327 posts, read 2,898,463 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tvdxer View Post
The average (median) American, actually, lives to a higher standard of living than most Germans. Bigger cars, bigger plots of land, bigger houses with more amenities, etc. The gap isn't as big as it was, say, 20 years ago, though. And "standard of living" does not equal "quality of life"...
That's the claim that gets thrown around all the time without any backup. The average American is actually working class poor according to their own social security administration: half of the country makes less than $27.500 a year. It explains why there need to be so many Wallmarts too.

In Europe low income people at least have access to affordable health care and education. Essential things like groceries and rents are cheaper over here too. Overall, Americans are poorer than Western Europeans.
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Old 11-18-2014, 10:36 AM
 
Location: Wonderland
67,655 posts, read 60,260,650 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Weichert View Post
In the US you can be terminated at any time. There will always be some official reason to avoid legal issues.

But unofficially, for anything.
Oh come on, that's not true. You cannot be terminated for ANY REASON THAT IS DISCRIMINATORY AND PROTECTED BY THE LAW. For instance, you cannot be terminated because of age, race, gender, disability, or religion (some states offer additional protected classes as well). If you can prove that this was why you were terminated, you'll have one heck of a successful lawsuit on your hands!
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Old 11-18-2014, 10:41 AM
 
Location: Wonderland
67,655 posts, read 60,260,650 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ariete View Post
Many don't mind working overtime here either, but the employer can't force you to do overtime without having a good reason for it, or if it isn't an integral part of the job. For example nurses can (will) be forced to work 14 hours shifts as it's essential to the job, but an office clerk can't be forced. But even for nurses and similar, there's an upper limit in 2 or 4 week periods of worked hours, and when that is fulfilled the employer can't force you to come to work.
Generally speaking, employers can't force people to work significant overtime hours (I'm not talking about 2-3 hours a week which isn't "significant overtime" in most cases), unless that was made clear BEFORE HIRING that it is an expectation. Most policy manuals and employee handbooks address this issue clearly.

Also, hourly workers have to be paid at least "time and a half" for any hours of overtime worked - and in some cases twice the normal hourly rate.
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Old 11-18-2014, 10:46 AM
 
Location: Finland
24,144 posts, read 24,663,635 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KathrynAragon View Post
Also, hourly workers have to be paid at least "time and a half" for any hours of overtime worked - and in some cases twice the normal hourly rate.
After 37.5 hours a week it's 150% salary for every hour worked, 200% for every hour worked after a 10 hour day and regular hours during Saturday are 150% and on Sunday 200%. If you work every day during a week you'll get paid 300% on the Sunday.

This makes overtime very lucrative for the employee, but very costly to the employer.
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Old 11-18-2014, 01:07 PM
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Location: Western Massachusetts
46,009 posts, read 53,177,863 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gentoo View Post
One thing that seems to be true is that most of the rest of America, and seemingly Canada too is less class segregated than California. It's actually one of the irritating things about it. Shopping at Target and Wal-Mart here are two completely different experiences and sensations on your senses.
Hmm. I haven't found the difference that huge. Target is usually nicer, but there's some overlap between the two.
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Old 11-18-2014, 01:21 PM
 
Location: Boston, MA
14,460 posts, read 11,207,014 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gentoo View Post
Oh come on. Wal-Mart is terrible on so many levels.
Not for the people who depend on their low prices to feed their families.
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Old 11-18-2014, 02:54 PM
 
14,771 posts, read 17,042,394 times
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We don't have a Walmart, we have Kmart or Target.
People of all socio-economic backgrounds shop at these stores.
Must admit I do like how everything is much cheaper in the US than in Aus. We get ripped off something shocking.

To answer the OP, I am sure I could live in certain parts of the US, California, NY, .. But i don't have a burning desire to move there. I like where I live.

I think the US is a great country, interesting landscape, lovely people. Has its faults like all places do.
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Old 11-18-2014, 03:36 PM
 
Location: Hong Kong / Vienna
4,499 posts, read 6,309,344 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Joshua View Post
Not for the people who depend on their low prices to feed their families.
Well, Aldi/Hofer, Lidl, Penny and Zielpunkt are also really cheap and many people are relying on them. Doesn't change the fact that the quality of their products is pretty ****ty. I mean, I also get some stuff there, but I don't have to whitewash the downside of these shops.
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Old 11-18-2014, 05:33 PM
 
2,887 posts, read 5,108,177 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drro View Post
That's the claim that gets thrown around all the time without any backup. The average American is actually working class poor according to their own social security administration: half of the country makes less than $27.500 a year. It explains why there need to be so many Wallmarts too.

In Europe low income people at least have access to affordable health care and education. Essential things like groceries and rents are cheaper over here too. Overall, Americans are poorer than Western Europeans.
You do know the difference between the average and the median, right? To be fair tvdxer didn't seem to either.

Besides, median household income in the US is 4th in the world. It is behind Luxembourg, Norway and Switzerland. Germany is 12th.

The US has huge income and wealth inequality problems, along with violent crime in inner cities, de facto segregation, yadda yadda yadda... per capita (average) income is not one of its problems.
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Old 11-18-2014, 06:20 PM
 
Location: San Diego, California Republic
16,572 posts, read 27,264,824 times
Reputation: 9002
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Joshua View Post
Not for the people who depend on their low prices to feed their families.
well, where I am there are other options. Grocery Outlet has lower food prices than WalMart does but again, as far as I know, this is a California only store, at least for now. Can't say if there are other options elsewhere but we shouldn't assume the entire US is uniform when it comes to shopping.
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