I read an article in The Times yesterday titled;
Wal-Mart Staff "driven to claim state benefits"
Senator Ken Toole claims an average Wal-Mart store with 200 employees costs federal tax payers $420,000 a year in public services such as food stamps, child care and housing.

In the UK things aren’t too different my sister has four kids all small and one over 16 yrs and her partner has left never to be seen again .Now she wants to do some part time work (to fit in with the kids)but is MUCH better off on state benefits than the much touted working tax credit. She actually got a job but was told to come into an interview by the benefits agency and told she would be mad to take the job!

Now state benefits are just enough for a basic standard of living (just check out her house and kids) but going to work would have meant real poverty line for not just her but her kids.
This is because (in my opinion) in the UK the minimum wage is an excuse to pay low wages.
The big retailers do make more and more profits every year and have teams of people working out how to avoid paying taxes with clever accounting.
I feel decent people who want to get off there backsides and get a job are forced into very tough standards of living because of those profits...but hey that’s capitalism (I’m no commi!)Just wish it could be a bit fairer that’s all.

The problem of young couples and single mothers especially, not being able to get back into the workforce at any level without the revocation of much needed government provided benefits after a pregnancy or any other tough period is perhaps the largest socioeconomic problem we face.

It forces people to take aid when they would be more than willing to return to the workforce in some capacity if it didn't mean a sudden and costly loss of medical care and assistance.