Living on the edge: why some California women try to avoid a raise

Workers worry that any income hike will disqualify them from housing assistance in an exorbitant rental market

For two years, Virdell Hickman managed to avoid getting a raise. In the summer of 2020, the education non-profit where she works launched a diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. Hickman, a Black woman, saw her salary bumped up. But she pleaded with her employers to not raise her pay.

What should have been a cause for celebration has instead become a headache. The higher salary, which in theory should be helping Hickman better navigate these inflationary times, will come with a major catch. It will mean she no longer qualifies for housing subsidies through the federal government's Section 8 voucher program.