Economic Policy Institute’s Post

Economic Policy Institute's "Rooted in Racism and Economic Exploitation" series is worth reading and this article highlights a practice I've written about before - tipping. So, next time you get the bill at a restaurant and start doing math in your head while considering how deserving your server is of your hard-earned money, consider the fact that tipped-wage structures are rooted in racism. And, remember that your server most likely does NOT get paid minimum wage - they probably make the "tipped minimum wage" plus the tip you're busy calculating. That means that if you are careless or grumpy and don't "make up the difference" between tipped minimum wage and regular minimum wage, your server gets to carry your plates back to the kitchen at a pay rate that we wouldn't allow for someone working in a warehouse. How does that make sense? Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/g3QqcNRH cc: One Fair Wage

New research from WorldatWork highlights progress in closing the racial wage gap, yet much work remains. Learn how your organization can contribute to meaningful change in the workforce. Explore our latest in-depth analysis and actionable strategies. https://bit.ly/3U5bNzy #RacialWageGap #HRLeaders #TotalRewards #DiversityAndInclusion #HumanResources #TotalRewardsStrategy #RacialEquality #HRProfessionals

Now that Labour is in charge (whether you're cheering or weeping into your tea 🍵), we can expect some significant changes in employment law. Here are a few key changes we might see: 1. Simplifying Employment Status: Labour plans to make employment status more straightforward by categorising people as either 'workers' or 'genuinely self-employed.' This change aims to simplify rights and protections for everyone, making it easier to understand your entitlements. Goodbye, confusion! 🚀 2. A Genuine Living Wage: Labour is set to revamp the National Minimum Wage to align with the actual cost of living. No more discriminatory age bands; every adult worker will benefit equally. This means more money in your pocket to enjoy life. 💷✨ 3. Enhanced Protections for Pregnant Workers: Expect stronger protections against redundancy and dismissal for pregnant workers and those returning from maternity leave. This change will foster a more supportive work environment during these critical times. 👶👩💼 4. Comprehensive Pay Gap Reporting: Big changes are coming to pay gap reporting. Employers will need to report not just on gender pay gaps but also on ethnicity and disability pay gaps. Mandatory action plans to close these gaps will be part of the new deal. Time to boost inclusivity! 🌈📊 5. Stronger Trade Union Rights: Labour aims to empower workers by strengthening trade union rights, making it easier for unions to access workplaces and simplifying the process for union recognition. This is a big win for worker representation and collective bargaining. ✊📢 These changes are set to create a fairer, more inclusive workplace for everyone. #EmploymentLaw #WorkersRights #FairPay #Inclusivity #TradeUnions #LegalUpdates

The past few years have also seen more organizations taking a proactive approach to implementing fair pay practices. Several states have also adopted legislation requiring employers to share with applicants (and sometimes current employees) wage ranges or rate information for positions. But there's still more we can do. #HR #humanresources #paygap #wages #staffing #benefits

We are excited to share our new resource: "One Fair Wage: Women Fare Better In States With Equal Treatment For Tipped Workers." This new resource tracks tipped workers' pay and quality of life in states with “One Fair Wage” policies, where employers must pay tipped workers the full minimum wage before tips. Learn more about how #OneFairWage positively impacts earnings, reduces poverty rates, and narrows the gender wage gap, particularly benefiting women and women of color. 🔍 Key findings include: Median earnings for tipped workers are significantly higher in "One Fair Wage" states compared to states where employers can pay workers the federal tipped minimum wage level (just $2.13 per hour before tips!). The poverty rate for women tipped workers is substantially lower. Parents in tipped jobs see even greater improvements in their financial well-being. Read the fact sheet and learn more about the benefits of equal treatment for tipped workers. https://lnkd.in/egHKJZmb

Thousands of Aged Care Workers will receive up to 28.5% in wage increases following a landmark ruling by the Fair Work Commission (FWC). In a recent landmark ruling, the FWC’s full bench in conjunction with an expert panel determined there are ‘work value reasons’ for the minimum award rates of pay for such employees to be substantially increased for an industry had been historically undervalued due to assumptions on being a female dominated industry. The decision comes four years after the Health Services Union lodged an application for a 25% increase of wages across the board for an “under-valued, under-appreciated lifeblood of the care economy.”    Special Counsel Victoria Stamper and Law Graduate Tom Gillard have prepared a summary highlighting the increase. #fairwork #agedcare #employment #payrise

🌟 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗔 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿'𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘀 🌟 The #genderpaygap has seen slow progress in recent years, compounded by over a decade of low growth and stagnant wages. Women continue to bear the brunt of these economic challenges, a testament to what many perceive as Conservative shortcomings. #Ethnicitypaygapreporting is voluntarily and, because it is fraught with difficulties, can be a significant challenge for employers. The Labour Party in its New Deal for Working People (published yesterday) proposes significant policies in this area: 📊 Action Plans for Large Firms: Labour will mandate large firms to develop, publish, and implement action plans to close gender pay gaps. 💼 Outsourced workers will be included in #genderpaypaygap reporting, aiming for a more comprehensive approach. 📈 Ethnicity and Disability Pay Gap Reporting: Employers with over 250 staff will be required to publish their ethnicity and disability pay gaps, similar to #genderpaygapreporting (and, given this, it suggests there'll be no change to headcount for gender pay gap reporting, although this was suggested by Labour previously) While these proposals represent a step towards greater transparency and accountability, several questions remain: 🔍 Implementation and Compliance: How will Labour ensure these action plans are effectively implemented and not just box-ticking exercises? Enforcement by the EHRC is light touch - how will Labour ensure that standards are brought up, while not penalising the many employers who've been doing the job properly for years. 🔍 Outsourced Workers: Including outsourced workers is a crucial step, but what mechanisms will be in place to accurately capture and address their pay disparities? This could make gender pay gap reporting (more) complicated. 🔍 Broader Impact: Will mandatory #ethnicitypaygapreporting and #disabilitypaygapreporting truly encourage change, or will it simply expose disparities without offering concrete solutions? The definition of "disability" will be critical. Labour's focus on pay reporting is commendable, but the real test will be in the details of execution and the tangible outcomes for workers across the UK. 🌐💼 #PayTransparency #GenderPayGap #LabourParty #EconomicJustice #WorkplaceEquality https://lnkd.in/e6SrD7Z6

Extract-Tories left ‘legacy of structural racism’ in UK jobs market, says TUC The Conservatives have been accused of leaving a “legacy of structural racism” in the UK jobs market, amid union demands to strengthen workers’ rights after a boom in insecure employment. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds had borne the brunt of insecure work, which rose almost three times faster than secure forms of employment under the Tories between 2011 and 2023. It said BME workers were overrepresented in insecure jobs – such as zero-hours-contracts, low-paid self-employment and casual or seasonal work – in a sign that the British jobs market was suffering from “structural racism in action”. The Conservatives have been accused of leaving a “legacy of structural racism” in the UK jobs market, amid union demands to strengthen workers’ rights after a boom in insecure employment. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds had borne the brunt of insecure work, which rose almost three times faster than secure forms of employment under the Tories between 2011 and 2023. It said BME workers were overrepresented in insecure jobs – such as zero-hours-contracts, low-paid self-employment and casual or seasonal work – in a sign that the British jobs market was suffering from “structural racism in action”. While all workers have faced a sharp rise in precarious employment over the past decade, the TUC said the increase was less pronounced for white workers. Over the same period it analysed, the number of white workers in insecure jobs rose from 2.8 million to 3.8 million. This accounted for a rise from 10.5% of the overall white workforce to 11.7%. The TUC said BME workers faced discrimination in recruitment processes, fewer opportunities for training and development compared with white workers, and were more likely to be unfairly disciplined or forced into roles with less favourable terms and pay… However, it comes as some business leaders attempt to lobby to water down the government proposals. Keir Starmer has faced criticism after signals emerged before the general election that his party was prepared to soften its approach to placate business concerns. In its first weeks in government, Labour committed in the king’s speech to an employment bill that would ban exploitative zero-hours contracts, end fire and rehire, and introduce basic employment rights from day one. Paul Nowak, the general secretary of the TUC, said: “Too many BME workers are trapped in low-paid, insecure jobs with limited rights and protections, and treated like disposable… https://lnkd.in/eacK3eGK

Did you know that under current law, many disabled workers earn less than $3.40 an hour? It is completely legal under certificates from the Department of Labor, called "14c Certificates." We deserve livable wages, and there is growing momentum to #EndSubminumWage. 17 states have already eliminated subminimum wage for disabled workers. We can ensure that all disabled workers are paid fairly by taking action. Go to our website to contact your Representatives in Congress and encourage them to pass the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act. Learn more and take action today: EndSubminimumWage.com #EndSubminimumWage #14c #ShortChanged #EqualPay #DisabilityRights #DisabilityAdvocate #DisabilityInclusion #TheBarriersWeFace #CriptheVote #DisabilityJustice #DisabledPower #WeTheDisabled #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs #DisabilityPolicy #DisabilityAgenda #AAPD Video Description: A series of slides, with slide one showing text reading "Did you know? It's legal for disabled workers to be paid (in blue bold font) less than minimum wage." with dollar bill imagery in lower right corner. Slide 2 shows an image of a map of the United States and a gavel, with the text "17 states" appearing over the map and the following text below: "have passed legislation (bold) eliminating subminimum wage!" with a square box with the following text underneath: "EndSubminimumWage.org". Slide 3 shows an image divided in half horizontally, with the top half reading " Disabled workers deserve to be paid and treated fairly." In the lower half, imagery shows a full dollar bill next to a ripped half dollar bill, with the full bill labeled "7.25/hour" and "Minimum Wage" and the halved bill labeled "3.40/hour" and "Disabled worker". Slide 4 shows imagery of a megaphone at top of graphic, with text underneath: "Join the Call for disabled workers to be (bold) paid fairly for our hard work." Below, the text: "Learn More." Below that, the text: "Contact your Congress reps today!". Slide 5 shows an image divided in half horizontally, with the top half reading "Disabled workers deserve to be paid and treated fairly." The lower half shows two piles of coins side by side, the one on the left larger by 1/4. The one on the left is labeled "100 cents" and "Minimum wage", and the one on the right is labeled "74 cents" and "Disabled Worker."

Raising the #MinimumWage holds the potential to bolster economic security while taking significant strides toward narrowing gender and racial wage gaps. For the Philly region, the Inquirer found: “The majority of workers in the Philly region who would see a pay bump are people of color. Nearly half work full-time, and over a quarter are parents whose children live with them. About 40% have taken at least some college classes.” Raising the minimum wage isn't just about numbers on a paycheck; it's about building a better economy for women and their families. ➡️Read the article here: https://ow.ly/Rkei50QzG2z 💡For further reading: #GenderWealthGap #GenderPayGap #RacialWealthGap