Living wage policy: Leading Practices

1–9 of 11 Leading Practices

An ordinance requiring that construction workers on city-funded projects over $250,000 be paid prevailing wages to ensure city contractors provide family-sustaining pay on public works.

Levers: Policy
Principles: Earnings
Strategy: Prevailing wage policy

A policy requiring that employees on city-funded construction projects be paid prevailing wages (comparable to local industry rates). The rule applies to projects over $175,000, ensuring public construction jobs provide family-sustaining pay. 

Levers: Policy
Principles: Earnings
Strategy: Prevailing wage policy

A local organization the certifies living wage employers, lifting up quality jobs, raising worker awareness and incentivizing business behavior. To qualify as a living wage employer in 2024, a business must pay all regular full- and part-time employees at least $17.65 per hour. They can qualify at a lower rate of $16.15 if they pay at least 50% of the cost of health insurance for those employees.

Levers: Education and Enforcement, Policy
Principles: Benefits, Earnings
Strategy: Worker rights, Living wage policies

A policy that requires that requires workers "must be full-time and paid at least an hourly rate equivalent to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage calculator as determined at time of application, unless otherwise agreed to by the WDB.”

Levers: Policy, Procurement
Principles: Earnings
Strategy: Living wage policies, Customized Trainings

A policy that requires that trainees must be compensated at wages that “Must meet the approved target self-sufficiency wage as determined by SDWP’s Workforce Development Board (WDB)."

Levers: Policy, Procurement
Principles: Earnings
Strategy: Living wage policies, Customized Trainings

A policy that requires prevailing wages to be paid on all construction projects that are funded by the state, regardless of size.

Levers: Policy
Principles: Earnings
Strategy: Prevailing wage policy

A policy in New Orleans mandating living wages for jobs supported by city-funded workforce programs and contractors through a Living Wage Ordinance.

Levers: Policy
Principles: Earnings
Strategy: Living wage policies

A policy establishing that companies like DoorDash, GrubHub and UberEats must meet a minimum pay rate on average for their workers by paying delivery workers per trip, per hour worked or developing their own formulas.

Levers: Policy
Principles: Earnings
Strategy: Living wage policies

A 10-month Green Industry Workforce Development Program, called PowerCorpsBOS, that combines hands-on training, paid “earn and learn” opportunities for living-wage careers and connections to green industry employers for young adults.

Levers: Procurement
Principles: Earnings, Learning and Development
Strategy: Living wage policies, Training pathways for underserved individuals