Mosaic Interpreting Services Earns First On-Up Dual Certification with Living Wage For US and Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy

NEWS PROVIDED JOINTLY BY
Living Wage For US Inc and Viriginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy
April 17, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mosaic Interpreting Services, provider of sign language interpretation and captioning for Deaf and hearing communities, is the first employer to be awarded dual living wage certification through the On-Up partnership between Virginia Living Wage and Living Wage For US. This achievement shows that Mosaic Interpreting Services is publicly committed to ensuring that all its employees earn enough to support themselves and their families with a decent living.

“For us, On-Up certification is evidence of our desire to build the world we wish to inhabit,” said Emily Haynes McGee, CEO and Founder of Mosaic Interpreting Services. “We believe that people can be their best selves, personally and professionally, when they are not existing under the constant strain of wondering if their needs will be met. We’ve found that prioritizing the human needs and happiness of those we employ has only grown our business, allowed creativity to flourish, created buy-in for our organizational mission, and made the workplace a far more enjoyable place to be.”

Employers certified through the On-Up program meet strict requirements that are publicly available and have engaged in a rigorous process of examining how their total remuneration packages ensure a decent quality of life for all their employees. Every employer certified through On-Up has informed all affected workers of their commitment and reported minimum wage levels, and honors a worker voice mechanism that allows workers to anonymously engage directly with Living Wage For US staff.

Allison Jones, Community Outreach at Mosaic Interpreting Services says, “On-Up certification displays our agency’s commitment to not only meeting living standards, but increased diversification and competency within our field. Mosaic Interpreting Services has an approach that is holistic. Educational opportunities for advancement include consistent professional development workshops, sponsoring events that promote community, internships, and mentorships. Developing strong relationships and an atmosphere of support is an integral part of Mosaic’s business model.”

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy joined Living Wage For US as the first On-Up dual certification partner in December 2023. Employers in Virginia that achieve living wage certification through On-Up are recognized by both Living Wage For US and the Viriginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy as a living wage employer.

“We’re ecstatic to welcome Mosiac Interpreting Services as the first living wage employer certified through the On-Up partnership with Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy,” said Michelle Murray, CEO of Living Wage For US. “Partnering together through On-Up will help us impact the lives of more workers across the Commonwealth.”

“The On-Up dual certification program helps Virginia Living Wage ensure our certified employers are meeting the needs of their workers. Living Wage For US’ remuneration assessment helps us understand how employer provided benefits can contribute to the living wage and consider real costs of living at a county-by-county or city-by-city level,” said Kim Bobo, Executive Director of Virigina Interfaith Center for Public Policy.

About Living Wage For US
Living Wage For US is a nonprofit organization with the mission to overcome the barriers and create the incentives to enable employers to pay living wages, affording a decent quality of life for working families. We envision a world where every family can afford a decent standard of living and every worker is fairly compensated without prejudice. For more information, visit www.livingwageforus.org.

About Virginia Living Wage and Virigina Interfaith Center for Public Policy
Living Wage Virginia is a program of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy to recognize local employers who pay all employees a living wage. The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy advocates economic, racial, and social justice in Virginia’s policies and practices through education, prayer, and action. For more information, visit www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org.

Living Wage VA and Living Wage For US are joining forces

by Michelle Murray Uncategorized

December 20,2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Living Wage Virginia, a project of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, is partnering with Living Wage For US to provide Virginia businesses with dual certification. The two joined forces and just rolled out the new certification process on December 20, 2023.

“At Living Wage For US, our mission is to ensure working families everywhere can afford a decent standard of living and basic human rights. We’re thrilled to launch the On-Up dual certification program with our partners at Virginia Interfaith Center and within the Living Wage Network because these partnerships will accelerate progress toward this goal. Together, we will connect with more employers, increase incentives for paying a living wage, and raise awareness of this important work,” said Michelle Murray, founder and CEO of Living Wage For US. “On-Up is an excellent example of how we can move onwards and upwards, together.”

The partnership introduces a standardized way of certifying businesses as living wage employers. Any interested employer in Virginia can apply for the dual certification. Employers who are currently certified under the old Living Wage Virginia standard will be given a grace period if they choose to recertify through the new standard.

Jase Hatcher, Economic Justice Program Manager at the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy says “Living Wage Virginia has always maintained that Virginia can be the best state for both businesses and workers. We’re excited to utilize the global gold standard for living wage certification and believe this will continue to move the Commonwealth forward.”

Hamna Saleem

Director of Communications

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy

Hamna@virginiainterfaithcenter.org

Tracie Ninh

OnUp Program Manager

Tracie@livingwageforus.org

Alix Murray

OnUp Program Assistant

Alix@livingwageforus.org

Living Wage For US data shows over half of Americans earning less than a living wage

by Michelle Murray Living Wage Blog Uncategorized

New certification system launches today to help employers analyze total remuneration, inclusive of benefits, and close the gap to a decent living for their workers

Sleepy Hollow, NY (November 15, 2021) – Across the U.S. today over half of American workers don’t earn enough to support themselves and their families at a basic level of decency from a human rights lens. U.S. based, non-profit organization, Living Wage For US (For US) celebrates global living wage week by launching a new certification system enabling employers to understand the wages and benefits necessary in their locations to achieve decency for all their workers, and to transparently communicate to investors and consumers through an earned seal, when they are paying a living wage.

In partnership with the Economic Policy Institute, For US has calculated values for living wages county by county across the US that include essentials for a family of four like food, housing, healthcare, transportation, childcare, retirement savings, taxes, and a small margin to buffer for unexpected events. In the age of Covid, a worker’s ability to weather unexpected situations has become increasingly pertinent. And as employers struggle to fill jobs, companies are looking for the right formula to attract or retain a much-needed workforce. First of its kind, the For US living wage standard and certification system provides in-depth understanding of how to structure a total remuneration plan so that workers earn a living wage while employers maximize the benefits and affordability of this investment in their workers.

Michelle Murray, founder and CEO of For US makes clear why a third-party living wage certification is so pertinent to the moment. “The need for a transparent understanding and communication on living wage is more apparent now than ever before as 2020 research from Just Capital shows that across all demographics, political affiliations, incomes, genders, and generations, Americans find payment of a living wage the most important issue that business should address. If employers can show consumers and investors that they are heeding that call, we can have a solution that works for workers, for employers, for communities, and for us!”

The For US standard and certification has the potential to support increased wages for tens of millions of workers across the United States. In efforts to highlight this endeavor, For US partners with the UK Living Wage Foundation, UN Global Compact, World Benchmarking Alliance, Share Action, Good Jobs Institute, Lean Enterprise Institute, and Living Wage Network, to deliver a series of events this week from November 15-19 celebrating global living wage week and launching its new certification system. These events offer opportunities to understand how and why a living wage certification can go the distance in delivering on the new purpose of a corporation, as set forth by Business Roundtable, investing in employees by compensating them fairly.

CONTACT:

Michelle Murray

Living Wage For US, CEO

+1-407-234-0293

michelle@livingwageforus.org

https://livingwageforus.org