EmployIndy Launches Marion County’s Good Wages Initiative
GWI Certification Recognizes and Promotes Employers that Pay $18/Hr and Provide Health Insurance Benefits
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind - EmployIndy has publicly launched the Good Wages Initiative (GWI) in Marion County which certifies, celebrates, and showcases Marion County employers that have voluntarily committed to providing full-time employees both a wage of at least $18/hour and access to employer-sponsored health insurance benefits.
In 2018, the Brookings Institution partnered with the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership to produce a report examining Central Indiana’s economic future. Advancing Opportunity in Central Indiana outlines numerous ways the area can develop strategies to increase the availability of more good and promising jobs that pay living wages. Their research determined that $18/hour, paired with employer-sponsored health insurance, is the general living wage for the Indianapolis area (the number of working and non-working individuals in a household, along with other factors not considered, affect the standard of living for household members).
“Paying good wages and providing employer-sponsored health insurance gives businesses critical advantages in today’s labor market, from reductions in turnover to increased productivity,” says Marie Mackintosh, EmployIndy’s chief strategy officer. “Employees experience reduced financial stress and improved health outcomes while the community benefits through increased buying power and overall job quality.”
Employers also benefit from increased attention and loyalty from consumers seeking to support businesses with employment practices that align with their personal values.
“Employers are looking for ways to keep the talent they have while also building a pipeline for roles today and the future,” said Kate Pangallo, director of talent partnerships, Indy Chamber. “The Good Wages Initiative supports businesses by showcasing their voluntary commitment to support their employees, their families, and their futures. That commitment can significantly differentiate an employer and lead to a more inclusive economy in Indianapolis.”
GWI is part of EmployIndy’s Choice Employer’s program, designed to help businesses become an employer of choice for job seekers and attract new consumers through job quality practices including good wages, culture and diversity, career pathways, and employee support. As Marion County’s workforce development board, EmployIndy oversees the Good Wages Initiative to further its commitment to Indianapolis’ employers and residents. EmployIndy utilizes a Lilly Endowment grant to support the launch of the Good Wages Initiative.
“Paying good wages is foundational to ensuring Indianapolis has a competitive workforce ecosystem, one where employers have access to talented and engaged employees and where workers have access to quality jobs and economic mobility,” said Jamey Applegate, director of the Good Wages Initiative at EmployIndy. “The Good Wages Initiative helps advance this work by celebrating and showcasing employers who have determined that their future prospects are enhanced by being committed to paying wages that help sustain workers.”
GWI certification provides heightened opportunities to promote an employer’s commitment to paying sustainable wages—which can help those businesses attract the most qualified employees first. Certified GWI employers gain access to marketing resources to promote and acknowledge their commitment to paying good wages. Exclusive certified GWI employer networking and idea exchange opportunities are offered, as well.
Committed GWI status is available for employers who are not yet paying all full-time employees at least $18/hour and/or providing access to healthcare benefits but are committed to becoming a certified GWI employer within two years. Committed GWI employers receive the initial support necessary to develop a plan for raising wages and reaching certified status, including technical assistance and networking opportunities to connect and share ideas with peer employers who have also prioritized employer/employee relations.
“We applaud our partners at EmployIndy for launching the Good Wages Initiative. Through expert and deeply data-driven research beginning in 2018, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership has sought to inform the public square when it comes to better understanding what a ‘good job’ actually is in Central Indiana, and the pay and benefits it must provide for families to make ends meet, even in our relatively low-cost marketplace” says David L. Johnson, president and CEO, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. “EmployIndy is now taking the critical next step, on both the data and the moral imperative to make this an even better, and far more inclusive place to live, work and raise a family.”
For more information on the Good Wages Initiative, visit: https://employindy.org/goodwages/
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About EmployIndy
EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments to remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents. Our vision is for all Marion County residents to have access to services and training necessary to secure a livable wage and grow in a career that meets employer demand for talent. As the workforce development board for Marion County, guided by 26 business, civic, education and nonprofit community leaders, EmployIndy invests over $20 million in public, private and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually. Learn more at employindy.org.