Vendors who want to be part of an exciting new project to encourage local businesses to pay their employees a living wage now have more time to compete for this opportunity. Wake County’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has extended the deadline to Feb. 29 to submit proposals to help lead the Living Wage Certification Project.
“This is not a momentary effort; it’s a movement towards building a more equitable and thriving community. And we need your help,” said Commissioner Tara Waters of the Wake County Board of Commissioners. “We urge firms interested in helping us create a comprehensive strategy that incentivizes and supports local businesses in providing a living wage to their employees to apply today.”
Firms must demonstrate in their proposals how they would:
- Develop a certification process for businesses opting to pay a living wage;
- Engage with companies to motivate them to participate in the program; and
- Create a job board featuring open positions that pay a living wage.
Interested vendors must submit their proposals here by 2 p.m. on Feb. 29. The county will select the most qualified vendor with the best proposal in March.
A Living Wage in Wake County
In Wake County, people who earn less than $21/hour, or $43,971 annually, are not making a living wage. They’re struggling to survive financially and often have to work multiple jobs or dip into debt to make ends meet.
Since 2015, Wake County Government has chosen to pay its employees a living wage, with the goal of encouraging other government agencies and local businesses to follow our lead. To advance that effort even further, Wake County has launched the Living Wage Certification Project, a groundbreaking initiative designed to rally the community—residents, organizations, businesses and beyond—around the crucial goal of promoting economic growth and community well-being through the support of living wage practices.
Wake County encourages all community members to participate in this vital initiative. By sharing information within networks and advocating for living wage practices, everyone can play a part in dismantling systemic barriers to equitable compensation.
The county’s Division of Race Equity is leading this effort. It supports economic mobility, which is one of four pillars of the Blueprint to Dismantle Systemic Racism. Together, we can make Wake County a beacon for living wage employment, ensuring a brighter, more equitable future for our community.
For more information about this request for proposals, contact Division of Race Equity Program Manager Christal Carmichael at Christal.Carmichael@wake.gov.
