Orange County officials have adopted a policy encouraging all vendors and contractors working with the county to pay a living wage to their employees.

Orange County Government, as an employer, already pays its workers a living wage, which is $12.76 per hour in the county. But North Carolina’s House Bill 2 bars localities from enacting policies that require employers operating in their jurisdiction to pay anything above the federal minimum wage.

Orange County manager Bonnie Hammersley said in a release, “Orange County is committed to providing its employees with a living wage and encourages all contactors and vendors doing business with Orange County to pursue the same goal.”

The release says “to the extent possible, Orange County recommends that contractors and vendors seeking to do business with Orange County provide a living wage to their employees.”

All contractors and vendors who are seeking to work with Orange County are going to be asked to submit a statement indicating whether the employees who will be performing the work are paid at least the living wage, according to Hammersley.

That statement will have to be submitted as part of the packet for bid projects in the county.

You can view the policy here.

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