<Back to Infofax Archive Page> Who Are Minimum Wage Earners? Jobs paying poverty-level wages, less than $8.01in 1998, are concentrated in service, agricultural and sales occupations. In 1998, half or more of the workers in 63 occupations were paid poverty-level wages. A number of these jobs-teacher aides, child care workers, home health aides-involved substantial responsibility for our children and elderly parents.