Should there be a cap on hours worked per week?

[Mr. Smith]

Absolutely. No person should be allowed to work more than 30 hours per week, and anyone working over that now should not lose any pay from going down to a shortened workweek.

Ok, I'll bite. How do you propose employers work around... life? Crap happens from time to time, and its hardly torture if someone chooses to work some overtime to cover the load and make a few extra bucks.

One should not have to sell even more of their life to their employer to cover basic expenses.

Oh, cut it out. Real life isn't a battle between employers and employees.

Someone's clearly never had a low paying job, and especially not one in sales.

[Mr. Smith]

No, obviously there should be a plan worked out through employers, but there shouldn't be any laws limiting work hours. I don't see why people shouldn't have the freedom to work extra hours if they want to.

What you mean is: "I don't see why employers shouldn't have the right to demand extra hours from their employees if they want to", that's far more common than employees begging to work overtime (and even in that instance they are being forced to by the insufficiency of their low wage).

What makes a wage "sufficient"? After all, there are many ways one could likely survive without modern or Western amenities. Albeit, they would be crude and uncomfortable lives, but confort is sibjective. Beyond a certain point, "sufficiency" is relative to one's aspirations, perceived earning potential, and overall life situation.

A sufficient wage is one that covers all housing, food, transportation and other life expenses of the employee—otherwise known as a living wage. What constitutes a living wage is calcuable, I personally believe that 15$ is an acceptable minimum.

'Round here that's barely cutting it.