Seeing Sociology in Eveyday Life

1. Yes I have worked in low income at two different jobs. One when I was in high school so I don' think that one really counts and the next one when I was just our of high school, got married and started a family before I thought of a college education. My first "grow-up" job was working at a truck stop in Oregon. I switched between three main jobs which were fuel desk cashier (which was not easy because on some of 18 wheeler company fueling cards you had to call the company and get a pre-authorization before they were allowed to fill up.), hostess and the attached restaurant and waitress.
The pay was not good and what they would do is give you a raise right before the state increased minimum  wage so basically you were alway making minimum wage. I think I brought home about $450 every other week. The benefits weren't bad though. The employer I worked for was an indian tribe so we had good medical and dental benefits but when I went on maternity leave it was totally unpaid leave.
2. I think one main reason is because minimum wages workers do jobs that well-off people would think was below them. For instance you would never find a well-off person stocking the bread in aisle 5 but you will see them buying the bread that was stocked by a minimum wage worker.
3. This is a hard one to answer but I would say the odds are against them. First off these people work so hard that when they come home they just want to rest, another idea (especially in this area) is that they work two jobs and just don't have the time to attend classes. Also these people need to work and can't cut back their hours to attend school. I know being in the nursing program they tell you they would not like you to work all together but as a single mother trying to pay the bills I have no choice but to work full time.