Orange County Living Wage Rises to $15.85 An Hour In 2022

Orange County’s newly updated 2022 living wage for hourly workers is $15.85 an hour, or $14.35 for employers who pay at least half of employees’ health insurance costs. Orange County Living Wage (OCLW) adjusts the living wage annually to keep pace with rising rents.

OCLW determines its living wage by using the widely accepted Universal Living Wage Formula based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standard that no more than 30% of a person’s gross income should be devoted to housing. To calculate the wage, OCLW uses the average cost of a one-bed apartment in a four-county area including Alamance, Chatham, Durham and Orange counties.

After the longest period in history without a federal wage increase, North Carolina’s minimum wage is the same as the national minimum wage of $7.25. This wage is worth 21% less than in 2009, when the wage was last increased. The District of Columbia and 29 states have higher minimum wages than the $7.25 required for non-tipped workers. With the new year, 21 states have announced additional wage increases that will take effect in 2022.

Since Orange County Living Wage’s voluntary employer certification program began in 2015, nearly 300 employers have certified as paying all full- and part-time employees the living wage. The 218 employers on OCLW’s current roster employ more than 9500 employees in Orange County. In this past year of unprecedented health and financial challenges, 34 new employers were recognized for their commitment to pay a living wage.

“The pandemic has shined the spotlight on workers and wages, and the essential services that thousands of employees in Orange County provide day in and day out,” says OCLW Director Susan Romaine. “A $15.85 hourly wage reflects the minimum wage necessary for workers to live close enough to our county to provide essential services like staffing our hospitals, schools, police and fire departments, grocery stores, pharmacies, and more. We applaud our 218 certified living wage employers for their leadership in the community and priorities in the workplace, now more than ever.”

When a business or organization certifies as a living wage employer, OCLW calculates the total amount they raised wages to meet the living wage threshold. Since 2015, that total is $1.85 million, with over $900,000 from 2021 wage increases alone, money that is often spent in Orange County.

Learn more about Orange County Living Wage, view postings on the living wage jobs board, or apply to become a certified living wage employer at orangecountylivingwage.org.

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Brandwein’s Bagels Now Living Wage Certified

Orange County Living Wage is pleased to announce that Brandwein’s Bagels has certified as a living wage employer.

Celebrate with them by paying a visit to their West Rosemary Street location and stocking up on your favorite bagels – made in the classic New York style, but boiled and baked right here in Chapel Hill. 

“We reap the benefits of this [living wage] commitment to our team in countless ways,” says Alex Brandwein. “Their strong work ethic and their dedication to the mission of the business creates a better work environment, which, in turn, produces a better product and better experiences for our customers in the larger community.” 

Learn more about Brandwein’s at brandweinsbagels.com. For a complete list of certified living wage employers, click here. 

E & W Electrical Certified!

Orange County Living Wage is announcing that E & W Electrical has certified as a living wage employer! E & W Electrical is a “locally owned power systems provider focusing on complete generator solutions.” They believe that “rewarding employees [with living wages] for their knowledge, skills, and contributions is the platform to retain a skilled workforce.”

http://ncgenerators.com

Listen: https://chapelboroaudio.s3.amazonaws.com/2021/July/26/OCLW%20E%26W%20Electrical.mp3

Acupuncture & Apothecary Certified!

Acupuncture & Apothecary is an integrative Chinese medicine practice, complete with a pharmacy of herbs and nutritional supplements. Located on the east end of Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, with convenient access from Carrboro, Durham, and surrounding areas.

Orange County Living Wage Rises to $15.40 An Hour In 2021

Orange County Living Wage (OCLW) announced a new annually adjusted living wage of $15.40 an hour, effective January 1, 2021. For living wage employers who provide at least half an employee’s health insurance coverage, the living wage rises to $13.90 an hour. A living wage is the minimum amount of income a worker needs to cover their most basic necessities without any form of governmental assistance.

OCLW calculates its living wage by using the widely accepted Universal Living Wage Formula based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standard that no more than 30% of a person’s gross income should be devoted to housing. To calculate the wage each year, OCLW considers the average cost of a one-bed apartment in a four-county area that includes not only Orange but surrounding Alamance, Chatham, and Durham Counties, home to many who work in Orange County.

The year 2020 marked the fifth anniversary of OCLW’s program to certify employers who pay a living wage. Since 2015, the Orange County living wage has increased annually by an average of 3% to keep up with the rising cost of housing. Despite the challenges faced by employers to meet this gold standard, more than 250 employers have been certified since the beginning of the program and the 222 on OCLW’s current roster employ more than 9500 employees. In this past year of unprecedented health and financial challenges, 24 new employers were recognized for their commitment to pay a living wage. By contrast, employees making the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour have not seen an increase in their pay since July 24, 2009.

“During the pandemic, Orange County’s living wage employers are not unique in their day-to-day struggles to stay in business – with one exception,” says Susan Romaine, director of OCLW. “Making payroll will always be harder for the 222 employers on our roster who pay their employees a living wage. Let us support these employers by giving them our business and our thanks for making this critical investment in their workforce.”