Policy
Helps to set the tone for the organization and also defines the processes, structures and requirements that influence job quality and equity outcomes. Organizations can directly influence what is mandated, incentivized or prohibited through regulations. Further, this lever can be a powerful signal to the community of the value of job quality and equity, encouraging change within other organizations.
The Policy Approach
There are two key considerations in using policy to drive change - What level of policy are you trying to change? and What type of policy do you plan to use?
Policy Level
Level 1 - Program Policies: Formalized processes and procedures dictating how funds are used, who is eligible for the program, how the program operates, compliance guidelines, funding stream requirements, and other formalized rules, regulations, and priorities influencing a specific program.
Level 2 - Department Policies: Formalized processes and procedures guiding the priorities and operations of the department that oversees multiple funding streams and programs.
Level 3 - Organizational Policies: Charters, by-laws, strategic plans, operation manuals, code of regulations, and other policy documents that govern how an entire state, county, city, or other government entity operates.
Level 4 - Jurisdiction Policies: Laws, ordinances, regulations, and other policy tools that may impact all of the people living or organizations operating in the community. Jurisdiction often refers to city, county or state but may also be applied to a specific neighborhood or zone such as a Justice40 community.
Policy Type
- Carrots refer to economic incentives
- Sticks refer to requirements and regulations
- Sermons on information, values, and processes.
Common policies that can be targets for the inclusion of job quality principles include on the job training, customized training, business licensing and renewals, permitting, consumer protection, procurement and purchasing, tax, loan or capital access, environmental protection and infrastructure use.
Sample Ways To Use This Lever
- Raise Awareness: Including job quality definitions in local policy documentation to raise awareness of what job quality is and signal its importance to the agency
- Incentivize or Require Behavior: Including living wage, scheduling or other job quality practices as a requirement in order to participate in or access certain processes or resources. Encouraging or requiring Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) to protect workers.
- Community Involvement: Using Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) to understand, uplift and protect community needs and ensure that a portion of the benefits of an investment are accrued to the local community.
- Expand the impact: Holding inter-agency dialogues to align around job quality principles and how they can be upheld across a local jurisdiction
To get started with policy, use the self assessment and quick start guide.
Get More Information
Helps to set the tone for the organization and also defines the processes, structures and requirements that influence job quality and equity outcomes. Organizations can directly influence what is mandated, incentivized or prohibited through regulations. Further, this lever can be a powerful signal to the community of the value of job quality and equity, encouraging change within other organizations.
The Policy Approach
There are two key considerations in using policy to drive change - What level of policy are you trying to change? and What type of policy do you plan to use?
Policy Level
Level 1 - Program Policies: Formalized processes and procedures dictating how funds are used, who is eligible for the program, how the program operates, compliance guidelines, funding stream requirements, and other formalized rules, regulations, and priorities influencing a specific program.
Level 2 - Department Policies: Formalized processes and procedures guiding the priorities and operations of the department that oversees multiple funding streams and programs.
Level 3 - Organizational Policies: Charters, by-laws, strategic plans, operation manuals, code of regulations, and other policy documents that govern how an entire state, county, city, or other government entity operates.
Level 4 - Jurisdiction Policies: Laws, ordinances, regulations, and other policy tools that may impact all of the people living or organizations operating in the community. Jurisdiction often refers to city, county or state but may also be applied to a specific neighborhood or zone such as a Justice40 community.
Policy Type
- Carrots refer to economic incentives
- Sticks refer to requirements and regulations
- Sermons on information, values, and processes.
Common policies that can be targets for the inclusion of job quality principles include on the job training, customized training, business licensing and renewals, permitting, consumer protection, procurement and purchasing, tax, loan or capital access, environmental protection and infrastructure use.
Sample Ways To Use This Lever
- Raise Awareness: Including job quality definitions in local policy documentation to raise awareness of what job quality is and signal its importance to the agency
- Incentivize or Require Behavior: Including living wage, scheduling or other job quality practices as a requirement in order to participate in or access certain processes or resources. Encouraging or requiring Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) to protect workers.
- Community Involvement: Using Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) to understand, uplift and protect community needs and ensure that a portion of the benefits of an investment are accrued to the local community.
- Expand the impact: Holding inter-agency dialogues to align around job quality principles and how they can be upheld across a local jurisdiction
To get started with policy, use the self assessment and quick start guide.
Get More Information
How government agencies can use policy:
Assessment
- Reviewing existing local policies to understand what exists to support job quality (e.g. wages, fair scheduling, access to benefits)
- Examining current advocacy partnerships, as well as staff time allocation, and identifying gaps
- Conducting labor market research/assessments or program data to understand policy gaps or impacts and inform policymakers
Knowledge Building and Buy-In
- Understanding the process to pass or update local policies
- Building local alignment on the definition (and supporting sources) of a living wage for the area
- Creating or expanding inter-agency collaboration to jointly address job quality policy and corresponding funding
- Interagency collaboration on policy development, implementation, success metrics and evaluation
- Engaging policymakers in the work directly - board participation, award ceremonies, press, site visits, etc.
Implementation
- Passing local level policies that codify job quality principles such as wages, schedules, and access to benefits
- Requiring alignment of diverse funding streams (e.g. WIOA, TANF, CDBG) to achieve shared policy goals - shared spaces, enrollment processes, integrated systems, etc.
- Providing templates, tools, or standard language that partners can use to implement policy changes in other jurisdictions
- Participating in local, state or federal advocacy efforts on job quality or population specific issues
- Elevating diverse voices and stories to bring policy success and gaps to life
👋 Learn How to Implement the Policy Lever
STEP 3
Selected your lever(s)? Now move on to documenting your goals.