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Living
wage strategies promote wages and benefits sufficient to lift workers
out 
of
poverty. The implementation of living wages is advanced through ordinances
that require public investment to adhere to living wage guidelines.
Living wage provisions require that local governments should not award contracts
to, or subsidize only those employers that pay livable wages. As such,
living wage provisions generally apply to companies that have service contracts
with city or county government or those that receive certain forms of financial
assistance from the government. Some communities have successfully
combined living wage and local hiring agreements in large economic development
projects in their neighborhoods.
Living wage provisions require hourly
wages that are at least equal to federal 
poverty
thresholds. Many ordinances also require employers to provide access
to health care as part of the living wage regulation, either by directly
supplying health care coverage or through increased wages.
There are more than 60 living wage ordinances in place nationwide and over 75 campaigns underway in cities, counties, states, and on college campuses. Living wage requirements can be won through legislation (city councils, county boards, or state legislatures), or by ballot initiative. Both avenues require a coordinated campaign with broad based support.
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