This report examines methods for cities to improve job quality in their communities by using city regulatory power to establish wage floors and other employment standards, regulating domestic-employee placing agencies, using city resources to enforce existing government employment regulations, implementing equal opportunity employment policies, using city proprietary interests, and curbing employers' practices that take advantage of immigrant workers. The policy recommendations in the report are based on the experience of cities around the country.

This ordinance outlines workplace standards for construction employers. This ordinance requires that construction employers allot time for regular rest breaks for construction workers, which are particularly important due to the increased physical strain and increased risk of heat-related illnesses associated with construction labor. It guarantees that construction workers employed within the municipality are provided adequate rest breaks and establishes remediation processes for employers who deny construction employees a rest break.

The ordinance requires retention of employees, for a transition period of ninety days, by the successor employer of those grocery employees who have been employed by the incumbent grocery employer for at least six months; requires retention of the incumbent grocery employer's grocery employees based on their respective seniority within job classifications; requires that, during the transition period, retained grocery employees from the incumbent grocery employer may only be terminated for cause; and requires the successor employer, following the transition period, to perform a written performance evaluation of each retained grocery employee and consider offering each retained grocery employee continued employment if the employee's performance was satisfactory; and requires the successor employer to keep a written verification of the employment offer for three years.

Requires job placement agencies to provide applicants for domestic worker positions with a written statement of rights and obligations under state and federal law, including information on minimum wage, overtime, and unemployment insurance. Job placement agencies must also provide applicants with a written statement describing the nature of the work, including the kinds of services that will be performed in the position.

This ordinance modifies existing business licensing requirements to require denial of a business license to any applicant having been found to have committed wage theft if that finding has not been remedied or cured. Previously, New Brunswick law required all business license applications to be submitted to the police department for investigation of the applicant's business responsibility, moral character and ability to properly conduct the licensed activity as necessary for the protection of the public, and to deny license applications if the police determined that the applicant's character, ability or business responsibility were unsatisfactory or the products, services or activity not free from fraud. This ordinance adds wage theft as an additional reason for business license denial.

The local law requires the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs to prepare a written statement describing the provisions of state and federal laws that pertain to domestic or household employees including, but not be limited to: a general description of employee rights and employer obligations pursuant to laws regarding minimum wage; overtime and hours of work; social security payments; unemployment insurance coverage, disability insurance coverage; and workers' compensation. Such statement shall be distributed to certain licensed employment agencies. The law requires employment agencies engaged in the placement of domestic and household employees to keep on file a statement signed by the employer of a domestic or household employee, indicating that the employer has read and understands the statement of rights and obligations contained in the written statement. The law also requires the above licensed employment agencies to provide each applicant for employment with a written statement containing the name and address of the person to whom the applicant is to apply for such employment, the name and address of the person authorizing the hiring for such position, the wages, hours of work, the kind of services to be performed, and the placement agency's fee. Every employment agency would then be required to keep on file for three (3) years a duplicate copy of this written statement. The law provides a penalty for any person who violates these requirements, as well as the officers of a corporation and stockholders holding ten percent or more of the stock if the corporation is not publicly traded who knowingly permits the corporation to violate these requirements. Any person found guilty of violating this proposed legislation shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.

This report contains hundreds of specific policy reforms spanning eight broad areas of local government policy and responsibility: economic development and job creation; infrastructure; municipal revenue; job standards; housing; education; health; and civil rights. In each area, the report first describes the importance of taking action on it and the general goals of progressive policy. Second, the report describes key proven strategies for reaching those goals and identifies several specific steps that cities can take toward their effective implementation within those strategies, citing specific examples in each case.

This local law prohibits discrimination in employment based on pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition. This local law makes it an unlawful discriminatory practice for an employer to refuse to provide a reasonable accommodation to the needs of an employee for her pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition that will allow the employee to perform the essential requisites of the job, provided that such employee's pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition is known or should have been known by the employer.

This ordinance allows San Francisco-based employees to request flexible or predictable working arrangements to assist with care giving responsibilities, subject to the employer's right to deny a request based on business reasons; prohibits adverse employment actions based on caregiver status; prohibits retaliation against employees for exercising rights under the Ordinance; requires employers to inform employees of their rights and maintain records regarding compliance with the ordinance; authorizes enforcement by the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement; and authorizes waiver of the ordinance under a collective bargaining agreement.

This ordinance provides that all contracting departments shall award contracts in excess of $5000 related to the purchasing, renting, laundering and dry cleaning of items of apparel to contractors and subcontractors who are able to provide for the fulfillment of the contracts from establishments able to demonstrate compliance with all applicable laws regarding wages and benefits, workplace health and safety, forced and child labor and freedom of association. The requirements of this ordinance may be waived under certain conditions.