What Happens after Laws Pass? Implementing and Monitoring Living Wage Ordinances
Authors
Stephanie Luce
Abstract
The living wage movement, which began in 1994, is thriving and continues to grow despite the recent recession and increasing opposition from employers. Yet while the movement has had success in getting ordinances passed, it has been less successful in getting ordinances implemented. Some cities and counties have done a solid job of enforcement, but implementation is weak or non-existent in many communities and that deprives thousands of workers of a living wage. Although living wage ordinances differ in detail from city to city, they are comparable enough that we might expect similar outcomes. What explains the variation in implementation?
