Romney’s Retail Jobs Offer More Low Wages Than Middle Income

Mitt Romney says the U.S. can be “the best place in the world to be middle class again” and points to his hand in founding companies such as Staples Inc. and The Sports Authority Inc. to show he can create jobs to get people there.

While these retailers provide salaried positions, including store manager, that offer a path to the middle class, the majority are hourly jobs that don’t. Sales associates at the two chains make less than $9 an hour on average, according to survey data from Glassdoor.com. At that rate, which is common in the industry, someone working 40 hours a week would earn below the poverty line of $19,090 for a family of three.