Amendment to Article 4.8, Section 4.8.5 of the Town's General By-Laws - requiring publication of living wage exempt positions in the Town's Financial Plan

Petitioner: Patricia Connors, TMM3

Annual Town Meeting, May 2018

The living wage rate as of July 1, 2017 is $13.98 per hour for town employees. As of January 1, 2017, the minimum wage rate for town employees is $12.00 per hour. Section 4.8.3 of the Living Wage By-Law provides that the minimum wage for town employees shall be one dollar more than the state minimum wage. Town employees who are exempted from the living wage rate shall earn at least the town minimum wage rate.

See http://www.brooklinema.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9794

At the May, 2015 Town Meeting, the town's Recreation Department sought to exempt entry level workers from getting not only the living wage but also the minimum wage rate for town employees. While successful with disqualifying junior, part time employees from the living wage, the Recreation Department failed to get the votes it needed to deny these employees the town's minimum wage.

The amendment proposed under this Warrant Article would require the Town to set forth in its annual financial plan the position titles and salary ranges of those town employees who are exempted from the living wage. Presently some departments provide this information and others, including the Recreation Department, do not. This requirement is intended to obtain uniformity in the way the Town reports its lowest paid wages and transparency for the general public as to whether the Town is in compliance with the Living Wage By-Law.
Official Town Meeting Vote Select Board Advisory Board

Favorable Action

Favorable Action

Favorable Action

Unanimous

4-0-0

12-0-5
Final Result:

Favorable Action
Community Organization Recommendations
PAX Green Caucus

Favorable Action
Official Text of the Article

VOTED: That that the Town adopt the following Resolution:

RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE INCLUSION OF LIVING WAGE EXEMPT EMPLOYEES IN THE TOWN'S ANNUAL FINANCIAL PLAN

WHEREAS, the Town of Brookline, Massachusetts (the Town) has a proclaimed public policy to provide transparency in its administration of Town government; and

WHEREAS, Brookline Town Meeting enacted the Living Wage By-Law to insure fair and equitable wages for the Town's lowest paid employees; and

WHEREAS, the Town's annual Financial Plan is a public document which sets forth the lowest wages of some town positions but not others;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT the Town Meeting of Brookline:

Recommends that the Town Administrator instruct all Town Departments to include in the Town's annual Financial Plan their staff positions that are exempt from the Town's living wage under the Living Wage By-Law. The Financial Plan should include the high-to-low range of compensation for each exempt position. In addition, the Financial Plan should include the approximate number of FTEs (full time equivalent) for each exempt position.


https://www.brooklinema.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14385/-May-22-2018-Annual-Town-…

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