County Considers Living Wage for Employees
In Proposed Tentative Budget, Leon County Would Become First in Area to Pay Living Wage of $12 per Hour
As part of the proposed tentative FY 2017-2018 budget, the Leon County Board of County Commissioners included a living wage for County employees who work full-time earn enough money to live above the poverty level. While still tentative, Leon County's proposed living wage contemplates establishing a minimum wage floor of $12 per hour throughout the organization of more than 850 employees. This also means that no new County employee will be hired for less than $12 per hour.
"The Leon County Board of County Commissioners recognizes that establishing a living wage is an investment in line with the long-term strategic goals of the organization," said Leon County Commission Chairman John E. Dailey. "Such a wage will help ensure a dedicated and skilled workforce for years to come."
If adopted as part of the final FY 2017-2018 budget later in the year, the living wage will increase the hourly salary of 99 County employees and ensure that their salary does not fall below the current living wage amount of $12 per hour. The living wage is a market-based approach draws upon geographically specific expenditure data related to likely minimum food, health insurance, housing, transportation, and other basic necessities costs.
“A living wage simply reflects our belief that our full time workers in Leon County should not live in poverty,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long. “I applaud the Board for their action to approve this measure in the preliminary budget. I am confident it will pay dividends in our continuous efforts to recruit and retain the highest performing employees to serve our community.”
Leon County's living wage analysis was modeled after the MIT Living Wage Calculator as well as peer analysis of other Florida counties. The fiscal impact of establishing the living wage will be about $135,000.
For more information, contact Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / cmr@LeonCountyFL.gov .
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