Tompkins County Has a New Living Wage!

(Ithaca) Tompkins County has a new living wage – $16.61/hour. Announced jointly by Alternatives Federal Credit Union and the Tompkins County Workers’ Center, the new living wage is 8.5% above last year’s Living Wage of $15.32/hour.

“We’re gratified to see the commitment we initiated in 1994 to lead our local community in paying living wages still alive and well,” said Kevin Mietlicki, Alternatives CEO, “and pleased to see the model for calculating a local living wage which we developed then still valid.”

“While normally the living wage is calculated on a biennial basis, we’ve also never experienced these inflationary pressures,” said Pete Meyers, TCWC Coordinator. “Workers can no longer live on last year’s wages. It is clear we needed a new living wage now.”

The living wage is calculated on the cost of living in Tompkins County for a single individual and also includes a component for savings. For details on the make-up of this year’s living wage, click here. For further information on certifying as a Living Wage Employer, go to https://www.tcworkerscenter.org/campaigns/living-wage-certification/

The 118 Living Wage Employers currently certified by TCWC will have one year to meet the new standard.