Building Robust Labor Standards Enforcement Regimes in Our Cities and Counties
Type
Policy Brief or Report
Year
2015
Level
County
State(s)
All States
Policy Areas
Children & Families, Civil Rights, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement
An unprecedented number of cities and counties around the nation have adopted a local minimum wage that is higher than the federal wage floor. Today, more than 20 cities and counties have a higher local minimum wage; 11 were approved in 2014 alone. This wave of local minimum wage wins can substantially improve the lives of millions of workers, especially because workers are calling for higher minimum wages than ever before. For such wins to make a real difference to workers and their communities, however, strong enforcement provisions need to be part of any local minimum wage proposal. A robust local regime will strengthen workers' ability to assert their rights and ensure employer compliance with the new wage laws.