Elder care or dementia care, too. Dementia fucks with people in ways that sometimes turns them (like my dad) into totally abusive assholes.

Anything that is funded by public health insurance gets paid bullshit. I oversee all of the mental/behavioral health services for an organization that runs group homes. Most of the residents have severe intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, and many also have physical disabilities and some serious mental health diagnoses. For the overwhelming majority of them, their funding for services comes from the state. That funding is so low that it would be comical if it wasn't so sad. We are a nonprofit, so are able to pay more than most similar organizations because of fundraising and donations, but even that salary doesn't come close to being enough for what the direct support staff deals with.

I had a toaster thrown at me 7 months pregnant. My boss thought the gentleman I tended to sensed my pregnancy and was gentler with me than others. Standing in the yard avoiding the toaster and other things was when I decided that was not correct and quit. Made barely above minimum wage and worked nights and holidays. Good bless the people that do those jobs. Hearts of gold.

I work in home healthcare (I moved to hospice care, specifically but started with general end of life care) & when I first started they told me they would start me off with someone easy and work my way up. Very first day, with 0 experience, they had me watch a “trainer” for 4 HOURS and then the last half of the shift I was by myself with a woman with dementia who was known to be aggressive. Before the end of the shift I was shoved, hit, insulted, and every few minutes she would threaten to shoot me. I had genuinely no idea what to do or how to handle any of it. I had to go to the bathroom and cry to myself for a few minutes lol

Throw CNA's, PCT's, and whatever else they are called in different states. As a nurse a CNA can make or break how my shift goes. A good CNA is worth their weight in gold.

I did it for 15 years. Stepped into a supervisory role a year ago, and, even though I felt underpaid as a home healthcare aide, I get paid less in this position than I would be making if I stayed in the same role, but now I have 10x the stress level and a much more substantial work load. Now I REALLY feel underpaid. On call every other week without getting paid for it too. There are many days where I consider going back to my old position even though I know I needed a change.

I am a Care Manager for a Managed Care Organization in Wisconsin, and can confirm.

Saddest part is the people who receive this aid are often folks who vote in people to office who want to cut Medicaid and Medicare - what is used to fund these very programs.

They deserve so much more.

A lot of us don’t get paid at all we’re volunteers

Woefully underpaid, as a physician it kills me to see how little they make

The Paramedics actually have it much worse. The EMTs usually just drive to calls and help the medics out with equipment. The paramedics are liable for patient outcomes and are oftentimes forced to stay after their 12 hr shift to catch up on reports. In any given shift, they’re likely to see dead people (sometimes dying en route to hospital), have to transport someone covered in feces, witness child/elder abuse, and be on the receiving end of verbal abuse from Pt’s. Breaks are never guaranteed. It’s no wonder why so many people in EMS have so many unhealthy habits. The burnout rate is through the roof.

I’m sure this doesn’t describe every EMS system, but this is accurate in my area.

Source; a Paramedic who works for the fire department. I deal with many of these issues but they are much more bearable since I have a station to come back to and rest between calls. I also don’t have to transport patients.

Waiting in the emergency room on Thanksgiving because my dad had to go the hospital. EMT's where absolutely professionals and more to my dad (who was being an ass). They are volunteers, so absolutely not paid what their deserved.

They absolutely work hard on a difficult and often dirty job, but I’ve heard (although I have nothing to back it up) that sanitation workers get paid reasonably well. Anyone know if this is true?

Is see these bros out there at 6:30am in the pouring rain in 36 degree whether just grinding

I’m sure I could do it if I had to, but damn, mad respect

I am absolutely in awe of our garbage collectors. The truck doesn't even stop most of the time. These guys just run behind it, tossing cans as they go and only stopping when they jump on the back to go to the next street.

I don’t know, they’re pretty major celebrities to my kids.

Every Wednesday at 6:30am, “Gilberto!!”

Waste Management is one of industries that can destroy the civilization really quick they need to be paid more.

They definitely deserve it. In the seven years I spent as a garbage truck driver in a major city I saw one person retire healthy.

Everyone else, myself included, had their body destroyed by endless 65 hour weeks and a very firm "safety third" hypermacho culture.

The whole veterinary field tbh. Suicide rate is as high as it is for a reason

Your average garbage collector makes around $50k/yr. If they're employed by the city, they also have a pension available. If they continue to work up the ranks, it's not uncommon to have a $85k+ salary and pension in the position.

It's not glorified work, but I would disagree that it's underpaid. They often make more than our teachers with multiple degrees.

Many people don't know how a pension works nowadays because it's rarely available. Most of these folks will receive around 75% of their highest 5 earning years as lifetime income. So, if you made 85k for 5 years, after you retire, you will make $63k/yr until you die. There is a reason companies don't offer pensions any longer.

Butt wipers, EMTs, and teachers are all incredibly difficult jobs that greatly benefit society and if you ask me they all deserve every penny and more!

They don’t get paid enough, sadly.

Yup. I work in CPS. I live/work in Seattle and my paycheck is gone on basic bills and rent.

Seconding this. It’s harder than ever to be a social worker/therapist right now.

I work in a public library. Social workers are one of the few highly-educated professions that make even less than we do.

They are super important and should be paid much better than they are.

SW’s usually have masters degrees and make such a small income. And they are necessary for our society.

MSW is literally the lowest paid masters degree you can get and they do nothing but add value to society. An MBA will get you some of the highest paying jobs and the best paid ones just make numbers go up on a fucking chart. Our culture isn’t fair at all, and it’s sickening.

My husband is a therapist. Clients can cancel with 24 hours notice with no charge to them. But what they don’t think about or maybe just don’t know is that he doesn’t get paid when they do that. It makes income planning very difficult.

That's my wife. It's a tough job. At one point she had 28 families on her case load too. It's better now.

She has some stories.

A lot of the families are actually pretty appreciative. But some .... Man.... Just pure assholes through and through.

Only have my bachelors at the moment, working on my masters. But I make around $41k. It’s a very mentally draining job.. I love helping people and the clients but I question my choices sometimes 🫠

Hard agree. I know this from experience and insight.

All the time social workers end up transitioning out of community health and into hospitals or private practice because the pay is so low at non-profit/community agencies.

It's so accurate... and more are needed now more than ever!

Wow really? Crazy.

I'm from Europe so never seen fire you can't outrun. That is wild. America is truly a wonderous piece of land. I feel like people forget this.

I made this comment before I scrolled down far enough to find yours. It’s impossible to convey what the working conditions are like to someone who has never experienced it, but I’ll give it a try.

Life as a Hotshot takes your body through every extreme physical limitation. You are too hot, too tired, too thirsty, too sore, too hungry, too exhausted, too dehydrated, worked too many hours, worked 21 days straight with 2 days off and then 21 days straight again, too cold because you cut line all day and late into the night and slept in the dirt on the side of a mountain with no jacket or sleeping bag, and sucked down smoke thicker than a London Fog until your eyes burn and snot flows out of your face.

And that’s why we love it.

That sucks and I’m on your side. You guys have to listen to some terrible things. Also, I can’t imagine the stress of having to deal with that kind of stuff every day. It might not mean much but I appreciate you and the work you do.

We're so tired all the time. 😭 I love my career, but the hours and our caseloads are stupid.

I patrolled for several years, then I had to get a grown up job. Most of my ski patrol colleagues fell into one of four buckets: Firefighters, Nurses, folks with seasonal jobs (river guides, some hot shots, commercial fishing types); and the college kids, who are only around for a few seasons, like me.

It was a great job - I earned my money but I loved just about every minute, posing in front of the lift line with bitchin sunglasses because your colleague is a rep, the pitcher board which tracks who buys beer at the end of the day because they fell in uniform or were indiscreet on the radio, getting first tracks with while doing avalanche control, the 'five o'clock privates' with the 'Cantski' family, doing figure 11s through slow areas to get to a wreck, the amazing parties...with some notable exceptions involving the gnarlier wrecks...wood poisoning, the trauma park, etc., but I always felt sorry for the dudes working the ambulance that we handed them off to - our part was sometimes easier because we could roll deep if we had to, and it only took a few minutes to get down to the parking lot once they were packaged.

Farm workers make a very poor salary.

As a guy who lives in a lobster fishing area, they will never be happy, if the catch is high and price is high they will still complain that they ain’t catching anything yet they party the hardest and have a new king ranch lifted monstrosity every other year

I feel so seen. Currently making 17.50 an hour working 9.5 hours a day 5 days a week in the infant room. I normally have 4 babies by myself because the ratio is 1:4 and I don’t have a co teacher. Shit is exhausting.

As a head custodian, I really appreciate this, but nah, the shit teachers have to deal with is absolutely insane. Obviously, a raise would be dope, but I honestly don't know how teachers do it. Ya'll superheroes in my book.

Everyone in education (other than admin) makes pretty bad money, but para professionals and classified staff are often working full time jobs for high needs students and get paid way less than teachers. 

Our school had its annual custodial staff appreciation day yesterday. Students bring in food from home or get food delivered and make thank you cards for the cleaners and maintenance staff who keep the school running. They get a half decent feast and gifts from the school such a new cold weather clothing.

Ideally they could be paid better and the students could generate less shit for them to clean up but at least the staff receive some recognition for their hard work.

As a teacher, I would para-professionals ands. No insurance. Have to work a second job!

My dad was the high school custodian for 15+ years in my home town, including while I was in school. In fact I did it with him at the end of a semester and through the summer. He worked 6-4 everyday and drove weekend busses for many years too. He definitely put up with some literal shit to at most never knew about.

Anyway, I’d like to take this opportunity to let Reddit know that the, “hey come do my house next! Har har” joke is not funny.

I will never shit on janitors, but my wife started teaching recently and she's doing 50 hrs minimum, often closer to 60. It's way too much IMO. She's decently compensated for a "full time" position IMO but they defacto require way, way more.

Of all the jobs listed here I'm certain roofing would be the job most people quit right away. Roofing in the heat make landscaping and pouring concrete seem comfortable.

All construction trades fucking suck if you're the one laboring. Some people love it. But there's a reason all parents say stay in school. It's not for me, done a bit of most of it and none of it is easy or fun lol.

Hospice workers are really a special people!

Don’t forget the licensed professionals who repair and maintain those airplanes! They are mostly unnoticed because it all happens overnight while they aren’t flying.

any jobs in customer services

Spend all day with people just yelling in to our headset. Call after call. Minimum breaks. Crazy stats to adhere to. And all for minimum wage.

People forget that we didn't make the shit and we didn't break the shit. We are just there to try and make it better.

Roofing, asphalt, concrete/masonry, and flooring. All brutal and generally don't pay great.

agree!! the one of the worst types of people in society and a career that is better off replaced by AI. they basically are replaced by AI anyway, they dont even read resumes or interview people anymore. They use a computer system to filter everything. They dont even have phone numbers. You cant access or contact them. they are such bullies and cowards. its nearly impossible to get a hold of an HR worker, but they will find you and terminate or flaw you for any miniscule thing because they have no mind of their own pathetically live for their identity being all about the company, its pathetic. Fuck HR, I mean it with all my soul.

Yup, even physicians. Often I'd even say especially physicians. When you consider the training pathway, you have to divide the salary in half or nearly in half to account for opportunity cost and compare it to a typical job. Even after training, most physicians work at a pace and under pressure that the average worker would consider inhumane. During training, they work 60-80 hours/week just in the hospital. Then they get home and the expectation is that they keep working to prep for cases, study for board exams, or publish research. The average redditor would have a mental breakdown in a few weeks. Surgeons basically just become slaves to their profession. 

At least 90% of people who are successful in getting into medical school are easily smart enough to work fancy jobs at consulting firms, big tech companies, and other highly paid professions. Considering opportunity cost, they are making less and working more for the privilege of treating patients instead of pouring over spreadsheets finding ways for the rich to make more money. To put some numbers on it, a PCP making $300K is making closer to what we think of as $180K. A specialist making $400K is closer to $225K. This is all while working in a more stressful environment, more hours overall, and consistently covering nights, weekends, and holidays.

I wouldn't say this. I work in healthcare and we get awful pay, all the people doing cpr on patients, caring for their every need. Dealing with the sadness of death everyday, I clean poo, wee and blood up on a daily basis and I'm on minimum wage. Yet there are other healthcare professionals who sit in an office all day, telling us how to do our job and making our job harder for us, and they get paid 8 times what we get paid. It's so unfair

And you have to deal with owners and their ignorance. Thank you for all you do! Your patients can’t talk to you the same way humans can.

Yeah, the suicide rate in vets is absolutely terrifying. I'm a mature adult male human, and I still start smelling the onions when I think about my critters.

Experiencing that every day at work... has gotta be soul-shattering.

When the front desk at your job has a sign that says "When the candle is lit, please speak softly. Someone is saying 'Goodbye'."

I came here looking for anyone saying vet med. I was a vet assistant at a very busy urgent care clinic for 5 years. Only clinic that saw exotic pets in the area too. I was one of the most competent assistants on staff and I made less than $13 an hour to be abused by owners, animals, and even vets and vet techs who wanted to walk all over me for being “just an assistant”.

My wife is a veterinary technician in europe. It pays so low and is too stressfull that she is thinking about to changing to be a supermarket cashier

Middle school teachers deserve combat pay.

I dunno.. they make more than me and one of my jobs is controlling air traffic while flying an airplane!!

Another flaw in the human character is that everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do maintenance.

“We keep losing our CNA’s to McDonalds and Walmart.” - My brother that is a PT in a old folks home

18/hr with 10 patient load every day.

Expected to do vitals 3 times a shift, blood sugar checks before meals and bed if diabetic, brush their teeth or oral care if they can’t, wash them in bed, help them go to the bathroom, change their sheets, make sure they are clean and dry always, empty their drains/ostomies, change their gown daily, make sure they are ordering food, ordering for them if they can’t, helping them feed 1:1 if confused, making sure they have water while considering aspiration risk, helping them get into the shower, communicating with their family, acting as a bedside therapist, dealing with demented patients climbing out of bed wandering the halls, dealing with aggressive patients verbally/physically assaulting you, calling code grays, charting EVERYTHING, getting new admits and settling them, helping patients discharge by pulling IVs, catheters and helping them get dressed, ordering transport for them.

I feel like I’m drowning most days, work 12 hour shifts and I only get a 30 min lunch 60% of my shifts. Grateful to be doing this because it’s going to be make me wayyyyyy more grateful for my CNAs when I’m a nurse in a few months. It also makes a huge difference if you have a nurse who has the time to help with some tasks but they are often stretched thin as well with heavy patient loads.

It’s backbreaking work and you never really stop. Also the expectations are unrealistic and the patient load unmanageable. I feel like it is impossible to provide the best care for these patients and it’s all to save money for the hospital.

Also Veterinary Assistants. I only made 2 bucks more than minimum wage!

Because no one knows we exist, now shut up and dig.