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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: November 17, 2015 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-a <br /> SUBJECT: Update on Living Wage Policies <br /> DEPARTMENT: County Manager, County PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br /> Attorney <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Bonnie Hammersley, 245-2300 <br /> 1) November 12, 2015 Memorandum - Travis Myren, 245-2300 <br /> Update on Living Wage Policies John Roberts, 245-2318 <br /> 2) Memo from Cheryl Young with City of <br /> Durham Ordinance and Durham <br /> County Policy <br /> 3) Dollar Thresholds in North Carolina <br /> PURPOSE: To receive an update on Orange County's living wage policies and various living <br /> wage activities across the state, to discuss potential initiatives related to the living wage based <br /> on information from staff and the County Attorney, and to provide direction to staff on next steps <br /> regarding potential County living wage policy initiatives. <br /> BACKGROUND: The Board of County Commissioners has for some time maintained its <br /> support for the living wage. This has included the implementation of a living wage policy for all <br /> County employees, as well as potential development of living wage policies that would be <br /> applicable to those doing business with the County. <br /> Staff has provided a memorandum at Attachment 1 that provides an overview of the County's <br /> current living wage policies as well as activities related to the living wage across the state. <br /> The Board also previously asked staff, and specifically the County Attorney, for information <br /> regarding a potential policy requiring contractors doing business with Orange County to pay <br /> their employees a living wage. The County Attorney notes that, in 2013, the North Carolina <br /> General Assembly limited the authority of counties and cities by amending §153A-449, which <br /> authorizes contracting with private contractors, to include a new sentence, "A county may not <br /> require a private contractor under this section to abide by any restriction that the county could <br /> not impose on all employers in the county, such as paying minimum wage or providing paid sick <br /> leave to its employees, as a condition of bidding on a contract." (Emphasis added) <br /> This language limits the County's authority to contractually require a living wage to those <br /> contracts for which the County does not solicit bids. A contractual living wage requirement <br /> could therefore only apply to construction contracts below $30,000, purchases of supplies and <br />