Livable Jobs
Most Americans believe that someone who works full-time should be able to meet his/her basic needs without resorting to public financial assistance. Said in another way, they believe in livable jobs.
Livable jobs provide a way for business to benefit from offering their employees livable wages, benefits and humane working conditions. Livable jobs include livable wages but also beneficial work arrangements like flexible schedules, paid sick leave and job security. Businesses providing livable jobs are able to attract and keep employees while improving productivity. Paying decent wages and creating a quality workplace can actually be a source of competitive advantage, not a harmful cost, to employers.
Employees who are unable to afford their basic needs struggle to maintain productivity and focus on being a reliable employee. Businesses that do not provide livable jobs often experience high turnover which creates recruiting and training costs, as well as lost productivity.
Providing livable jobs pays for the costs of higher wages and benefits through increased productivity and quality of work as well as decreased recruitment and training expenditures. Non-livable jobs actually have high costs to employers. Through livable jobs both Vermont employees and Vermont employers can benefit.