Living Wage
Every Worker Deserves a Living Wage
What is a Living Wage?
· A living wage provides the minimal annual income needed to meet an individual’s or family’s basic needs, including the payment of all applicable federal, state and local taxes, without relying on either public or private assistance. Estimates of the annual income required for a “living wage” assume that the employer provides health care coverage – which is not true for many ESP members.
· A living wage can be compared to a floor, not a ceiling! A living wage does not include any amount for savings (for retirement, education or any other purpose) or any provision for insurance (such as renter’s insurance) or for luxury items, such as eating a meal outside of the home.
Learn More about Living Wage:
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Living Wage News
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Best Practices:
- All members of ESP bargaining units should be compensated at the local living wage, at minimum.
- Where salary schedules exist:
- Starting salaries should be increased by at least the same amount as maximums, and should never be decreased.
- Increments should be paid without devaluing steps or adding steps.
- Increments should be uniform throughout the salary schedule.
- Employees should reach maximum as quickly as possible.
- The first step of the schedule should reflect the local living wage, at minimum.
- When possible, salary schedules should be compacted to a single rate.