ITHACA, N.Y.–With minimum wage increases being mandated by municipalities around the country, the “living wage” that is calculated by a local credit union and then used as the standard for setting employee pay by almost 100 companies has been increased.
Alternatives FCU here is raising its voluntary “living wage” to $13.77 an hour for full-time workers with healthcare benefits and to $14.34 an hour for employees who must purchase their own health insurance.
The “living wage” is the foundation of the Tompkins County, N.Y., Worker’s Center living wage employer certification program. There are 99 employers in the county that abide by the living wage minimum that is established by Alternatives FCU’s analysis. The living wage is calculated by calculating costs related to housing, transportation, healthcare, and other necessities, as well as a modest allowance for recreation and saving.
Among those that participate in the program are the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County government.
Red Feet Wine Market is among the worker center’s 99 certified living wage employers. Other certified employers include the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County.
AFCU last calculated the living wage in 2013 at $12.62 an hour for employees with employer-provided healthcare and $13.94 an hour without.