Agenda - 03-17-2015 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 1 John Robertssaid the Countycan require auditing of the company’srecords, or an 2 appeals process can be provided for workers. 3 Bonnie Hammersley said Dane Countyheld back a percentage of the contractuntil the 4 contractor turned in their time records. 5 Commissioner Rich asked if Bonnie Hammersley had seen companies who did not play 6 by the rules. 7 Bonnie Hammersley said there were a couple of timeswhen funds were held back. She 8 said there were sometimes challenges when working with subcontractors. 9 Commissioner Price said the goalis to make sure employees are getting paida living 10 wage,and to make sure the County is dealing with companies that treat their employees 11 properly. She asked what happens if the County signs a contract, and the company pays a 12 living wage here, but then pays less in other locations. 13 John Roberts saideven if the County adopted an ordinance, it would only be applicable 14 in Orange County. 15 Commissioner Price asked if there is a way to find out what contractors pay their 16 employees on other jobs. 17 John Roberts said you can ask, but many contractors will not answer. 18 Commissioner Price asked what the minimum would be. 19 Chair McKee said the minimum would be $12.76. 20 Commissioner Jacobs said this is adjusted every year in the budget process, so it would 21 presumably go up. 22 Commissioner Jacobs said he feels that the questions on the second page are 23 interesting, and he would still like to get answers in writing from the staff. He said this 24 information can be gathered from other jurisdictions and through research. He said he would 25 like a list of the pros and cons of a policy versus a contract or an ordinance. He is not confident 26 that he has sufficient information to answer these very good questions. 27 Commissioner Price saidthe living wage in this area may be$12.76, but this is different 28 in other locations. She said this is worth investigating. 29 Chair McKee asked if this would fall under the samecategory as the question of 30 controlling jobs outside of the County’s jurisdiction. 31 John Roberts said the living wage would be tied to thework being done inOrange 32 County for Orange County. 33 Commissioner Dorosin said he would be happy to get more answersto some of these 34 questions, but he feels the County should require that workers here are paid the living wage 35 that Orange County has set. 36 Commissioner Dorosin said these are contracts that do not have to be bidonso there is 37 much more flexibility in who is chosen. He said the County can choose companies that 38 represent their interests, and the living wage is one of those criteria. He asked if there are any 39 other jurisdictions that have done this, other than Asheville and Durham. 40 Bonnie Hammersley said the City of Durham,DurhamCounty,and Ashevillewere the 41 three areas listed in North Carolina. 42 Commissioner Rich said it does send a messagethat the County expects employers 43 who work with them to pay a living wage. She said some of the questions do need to be 44 answered. She questioned whether Commission Dorosin wants this to be a policy or an 45 ordinance. 46 Commissioner Dorosin saidhe wants whichever of these options will be most easily 47 enforced and effectively defended in court. 48 Commissioner Rich asked if the County has received a letter from Chapel Hill Carrboro 49 City Schools(CHCCS) stating that they agree to pay a living wage. She noted that Orange 50 County hasprovidedthis letter.