I want to do my low-wage hypertext on day laborers, specifically those that are illegal immigrants. They have very tough jobs that are often extremely physically demanding and they earn very little money, usually around minimum wage. They often get hurt or sick, but they can’t afford to miss any work, because they need absolutely every hour of pay they can get. This is shown in Nickel and Dimed on pp. 96-97 when Holly is very sick and has to work. Another problem that day laborers often face is the way people think of them and do not show them respect. Just like Ehrenreich says on p. 100 of Nickel and Dimed people do not care about them, and often don’t treat them like they are people. I have worked with some day laborers and they are very nice people, but often people don’t treat them like they should. Another one of their problems is injuries, which is discussed in Fast Food Nation in the chapter about the meatpacking factories. Because of the physically demanding nature of their work, many day laborers will suffer injuries while they work. They will sprain ankles, or pull muscles and can hurt themselves with power tools. But they cannot even afford to get medical help unless it is a life or death situation. Also, they must work through these injuries because they cannot afford to miss a day of work either. This problem is also discussed in The Working Poor on p. 37 where Willie can’t afford to go to the dentist, and if his problems get really bad and he goes to the emergency room, the bills put them deep into poverty. When a person can’t even afford to have medical assistance without it making a huge dent in their money and making them drop deeper into poverty, they just can’t live the same kind of life as other people. This should be considered poverty.