Cost of Living is Up, but the Living Wage in Tompkins County Stagnates. Why? Federal Healthcare Subsidies.

By Jimmy Jordan | July 9, 2021

(Unsplash) TOMPKINS COUNTY, NY — The Living Wage in Tompkins County went down by 5 cents, from $15.37 to $15.32. The reason being: new Federal subsidies for health insurance. Although, those subsidies are temporary. Tompkins County’s Living Wage is calculated every two years by Alternatives Federal Credit Union. Alternatives calculates a Living Wage for their…

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Next Steps for Tompkins County’s Workforce After the Pandemic

By WRFI News Staff | July 6, 2021

Workers in a Singaporean shipyard disembark a gas vessel during a planned fire drill. (Unsplash) TOMPKINS COUNTY, NY — The pandemic is slowing down, and there are a lot of different strategies to help businesses and the overall economy recover in Tompkins County. Natalie Branosky is the Director of Tompkins County’s Workforce Development Board. On June…

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Tompkins County is a Childcare Desert

By Jimmy Jordan | June 30, 2021

Deserts vs. Non Deserts in Tompkins County. From the Center for American Progress. Tompkins County’s Desert Score. Desert Score score measures how many children there are relative to licensed child care slots. From the Center for American Progress. TOMPKINS COUNTY, NY — Much of Tompkins County is considered a Childcare Desert. That’s according to the…

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A Living Wage is Filling Positions at the Marriott

By Jimmy Jordan | May 18, 2021

Ithaca Marriott Downtown on the Commons is Tompkins County’s newest Living Wage Employer. That means they’re paying all their employees at least $15.37 an hour, and have a certification from Tompkins County Workers Center to back it up.  The reason for this move is to try and get people back to work. Cathy Hart is…

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