The basic criteria for becoming living wage certified is that an employer pays at least the current living wage rate to all full and part time employees.
The Living Wage Rate:
The 2025 Living Wage Rate for employers in Buncombe County is $23.15/hr, and the Pledged Living Wage Rate is $19/hr with a commitment to raise wages 3% plus inflation until the living wage for that year is met.
For employers in WNC counties excluding Buncombe, the 2025 ‘Rural’ Living Wage Rate is $17.55/hr.
Important Program Changes for Employers Certified Pre-Helene:
Due to the extraordinary shock to the local economy caused by Hurricane Helene, Living Wage Certified Employers who were due for recertification in 2025 have been granted one-year extensions and are not due for recertification until 2026 at the 2026 rates. Additionally, eligibility requirements are suspended in 2025 for employers whose status as Living Wage Certified with Just Economics was current as of the recertification deadline of June 30th, 2024 or who applied for recertification during the extension period. This also includes employers who were certified for two-years in 2023 and were originally due for recertification in 2025, and will now be due for recertification in 2026. All other employers whose certification has previously lapsed or who is new to the program are welcome to apply in 2025 subject to the full normal requirements of the program and corresponding 2025 LW rates. Unless otherwise stated, all currently Living Wage Certified employers should expect to be asked to recertify in 2026 subject to the full normal requirements of the program and corresponding 2026 Living Wage rates.
These changes serve to recognize the commitment that these employers made to Living Wages prior to the storm, support the local small business economy in its recovery to avoid replacement by non-local or larger corporations, and ensure that the Living Wage Certification program remains intact during this difficult time so that it can continue to positively impact the wage floor in years to come.
Employees that receive tips, commission, or alternative means of compensation besides an hourly rate:
Our goal is to make sure that employees are consistently making a living wage when you combine their base wage with other forms of monetary compensation like tips, commission, etc. If your employees are consistently making a living wage when the other forms of compensation are considered, your business is eligible for certification but will require follow-up employee interviews or redacted payroll information.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do part time employees count?
Yes, Just Economics does not differentiate wage rates for part-time versus full-time employees. We look at our wage rate as a more just minimum than the minimum wage. The formula is based on what a worker would need to make if they were to work full time but do not make exceptions to the wage criteria for part-time employees.
How is the wage rate determined?
We use a formula based on the cost of housing to determine and adjust our wage rate. For more on this formula click here for Wage Rate.
Do you take into account non-monetary benefits such as employee discounts?
The idea of a living wage is that a full time worker could meet their basic needs without public or private assistance. We no longer subtract from the wage criteria when an employer provides health insurance, but we do note employers who provide health insurance on our website. We certainly applaud and encourage other non-monetary benefits such as childcare, retirement, free meals, or employee discounts, but we do not factor that into the living wage.
What else does Just Economics do?
The Living Wage Employer Certification is one program of Just Economics that helps us work toward our mission of educating, advocating, and organizing for a just and sustainable local economy. For more on how this program fits into our mission and what else we do, click here for a bit About Us.
