2018-417-E Finance - Orange County Living Wage outside agency agreement

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DocuSign Envelope ID: C0131349A6 -D1E9- 42DE- 8E8D- 7583E683E1E2 EXHIBIT A: PROVIDER'S OUTSIDE AGENCY APPLICATION h) Describe the specific period over which the activities will be carried out and include an implementation timeline. In FY 2018 -2019 we will contact and certify new employers, and we will work with our 2016 -2017 employers to prepare them for re- certification in FY 2018 -2019. Our Aspiring Employers program (described in section 2.e, "Other Pertinent Information ") will begin in spring 2018 and evolve during the year. ij Why is funding this program a good investment for the community? How does funding this program add value to the community? (250 words OR LESS) Employees of living - wage - certified employers have seen cumulative wage raises of $641,175, leading to a likely local economic impact of more than a million dollars. In 2017, employers who originally certified in 2015 were due for re- certification (which occurs every two years). Significantly, 88 % of these employers chose to re- certify. To qualify for re- certification, these employers had to show they met our 2017 wage criteria, with wages $,40 more per hour than in 2015. Investment in our program raises wages for workers, promotes employers who shape a dynamic local economy, creates meaningful local economic stimulus, and builds the equity- oriented community that Orange County residents want to live in. In FY 2018 -2019, in addition to our Aspiring Employers program, OCLW will begin a systematic process of outreach to the County's largest employers who are not currently certified. Some of the County's "Top 10" employers are nationally based and not headquartered in NC. Our goal is to begin conversations with employers such as Walmart to better understand their wages and benefits and to advocate for wages that meet our community's expectations. j) Describe what would happen if requested funding is not awarded at all or if a reduced allocation is recommended. Without funding, our program takes a deep nosedive: new certifications stall; re- certifications decrease; and employers revert to paying what they feel is a "fair enough" wage for an undervalued population (low -wage workers). We'll work to write grants and fundraise in the community, but in 2018, it's a crowded field of agencies desperate for funding. Reduced allocations would affect our ability to pay for accurate, attentive bookkeeping, timely updates to our website's employer roster, and effective promotional materials. The quality of the program would erode. If our program declines, we may lose key large employers such as the school systems and municipalities, who expect quality and consistency from OCLW in exchange for their public partnership. If we lose these larger employers, many workers stand to lose ground in wages. The backslide won't come all at once, but will occur over time. Facing each year's new round of financial challenges, employers will stop setting wages based on OCLW's rent - indexed living wage. Instead, they'll pay what they feel is a "fair enough" wage. Our certification team members often speak with employers who believe they pay a PROGRAM INFORMATION 1/21/2018 12:07:58 PM Page 1 2 of 17