Your math is suspect even here in Canada. First, for nonexempt employees (hourly), anything over 40 hours is considered overtime (1.5 rate); there may be a seco

Your math is suspect even here in Canada. First, for nonexempt employees (hourly), anything over 40 hours is considered overtime (1.5 rate); there may be a second point where it's double-time, but I'm not sure. So employees who can work 54 hours a week (which is an unreasonable working time, IMO) 52 weeks a year (which is also unreasonable in a civilized society) and their employers give it to them, will make more than $28k (by about $70 / week). The Federal Minimum Wage in the U.S. is $7.25.