If employers were required to pay for the foodstamps and welfare services of their own workers, I wonder if we would see a change in their behavior? It would suddenly make less economical sense to reduce costs by pushing their most vulnerable workers below the poverty line, since that would just push up their welfare costs. Today they don’t pay a dime - so hey, if the government is subsidizing you to screw your workforce, and public opinion is brainwashed to blame the workers instead of you, why would you not do it?

It won't be.

We've had a go at letting employers "voluntarily" provide a reasonable living wage to low-skilled workers -- but obviously that tactic has failed miserably.

So it's time to try something else.

Which seems to work well enough for those countries.