After voters overwhelmingly approved the change to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter by more than a 7 to 3 margin last Tuesday, I decided to broaden the impact of the living wage and benefits standard ... so I introduced the Leaseholder Wage and Benefits Bill last Thursday to broaden the definition of employers subject to the New Minimum Wage and Benefits Ordinance.

The New Minimum Wage and Benefits Ordinance requires City-supported employers to pay at least 150% of the federal minimum wage to its employees. It also mandates that if the employer provides healthcare benefits to any of its employees, the employer shall provide each full-time employee healthcare benefits at least as valuable as the basic healthcare benefits that are provided to the employer’s other full-time employees. There is an exemption for small businesses. Employers subject to the ordinance include: