City Budget 2020: Adopting “Living Wage” Will Cost $50,000

The City of Tallahassee FY2020 budget includes a living wage proposal of $12 per hour. The proposal would benefit 26 full-time “Other Personnel Services” (OPS) positions. These employees work a consistent work schedule, but are being paid less than $12 per hour.

The City Commission believes this would ensure everyone receives “fair consideration” to be paid the minimum living wage of $12 an hour. The fiscal impact for this action is approximately $50,000 a year. 

At the City Commission Workshop held on February 20, 2019, city staff performed a living wage analysis. This analysis led to a proposed expansion of the adopted living wage of $12 an hour to encompass more of the City’s workforce.

The staff conducted an analysis of the various position types that are in the City’s workforce, including full-time regular positions, part-time regular positions, and temporary positions, which can be broken down into ‘Other Personnel Services’ (OPS) and other temporary positions (Other). 

This analysis found that the workforce has 152 temporary OPS employees. OPS employees regularly work over 30 hours a week and are given access to the City’s health insurance program at the same rates as full-time employees.  Out of the 152 temporary OPS positions in the City, 36 of those are making less than $12 an hour and 26 of those 36 work a consistent schedule. The other ten “float” between different jobs throughout the pay period.

Hannah Cooperman

Hannah Cooperman is a senior majoring in Criminology and Psychology at Florida State University. She currently interns for the Government Accountability Institute and also recently assisted in research to attend the Dyslexia Foundation’s annual symposium in South Africa. She plans to attend law school in the coming future and to continue exploring her interests in the subjects of criminal justice and politics.

View all posts by Hannah Cooperman →

5 Comments

  1. scott
    scott

    Tcc all ready did the $12 an hour at the last board meeting. it also bumped base up

  2. Pienso
    Pienso

    When the city budget says something will cost $50,000, it is a sure thing that it will actually cost $500,000. The budget office just rubber stamps every proposal and the full cost is never included.

  3. Dave
    Dave

    What happened to the Article about the City & County moving forward to allow the Electric Scooters?

  4. News Maven
    News Maven

    Was the writer of this blog post paid "a living wage?"

  5. Mark
    Mark

    If a living wage in Leon County is for our teachers who are the 46th lowest paid in Florida our teachers do not have a chance. Unless you supported Hanna and get paid an excess of $100,000 without interviewing or applying for a job like Shelly Bell, Gillian Gregory, Alan Cox, Kathleen Rodgers, Sue Kraul. Leon teachers are the 46 lowest paid in Florida. Support Rocky Hanna you get rewarded with raises, stand up and expose the misdeeds and corruption of Rocky Hanna you get placed on a Hanna "hit list". No wages at all, immediate railroaded to unemployment. The school board remains silent while Hanna inflicts his brand of personalized political payback. When we elect a man that lied about being a father for 10 years and did not pay child support until sued you get what you elect, sinister acts.

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