Join us for a fun and interactive virtual event celebrating our work over this year! We’ll play an interactive game and close out the year as a community. You can also expect and awesome collection of raffle prizes. Whether you have been around Just Economics for a while or new…
International Living Wage Week 2021
The week of November 15th-21st is International Living Wage Week! Living Wage Week is a big deal in countries like the UK, and Just Economics is excited to partner with the National Living Wage Network and Living Wage for US to bring Living Wage Week to the United States in…
Labor Day 2021
This Labor Day, a year and a half into a global pandemic, twelve years into a minimum wage of $7.25 and decades into growing income inequality in this nation. Isn’t it time? Isn’t it time to not just honor the workers who make our society work with a holiday but…
Asheville City Budget Analysis
Tuesday, May 25th, the Asheville City Manager’s budget was introduced and June 8th, the public will get a chance to weigh in on the budget during the public hearing. The final vote on the City of Asheville’s budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, will take place on June…
What if we all took responsibility for the increased cost of living?
The cost of living in Asheville and the surrounding area has been a regular topic of conversation on social media, in the press, and around our office. At Just Economics, we run a voluntary Living Wage Certification Program that certifies (and then recertifies every two years) employers who voluntarily pay…
Why is the Cost of Living So High in Buncombe County?
I moved to Asheville from the Piedmont of NC in 2008 to go to college at UNC Asheville. I rented my first house in 2009 in Montford, a two bedroom house for $900 which at the time felt EXPENSIVE, so after bringing in an extra roommate for a while to…
Just Economics Relaunches Living Wage Certification Program
Just Economics has relaunched our Living Wage Certification program and reopened our application for Living Wage Certification!
Check out our new Take Action page!
We’ve added a new page to our website that features a new issue each week and a couple of way to engage with that issue. We’re also launching a video series called, Policy Minuet. Each week, we will release a new, 60 second video about a current policy issue. Check…
We’re Hiring!
Just Economics is hiring for a part-time Office Administrator (approximately 20 hours a week). This job will initially be remote. Once it is safe to return to work in person, this job will take place in our Asheville office. See the job description below. To apply, fill out the google application and…
2021 Buncombe County Living Wage Update
Each November, Just Economics reassesses the Buncombe County Living Wage Rate based on Federal Fair Market Rent data released by HUD. In 2020, the living wage rate was calculated at $15.50/hour or $14.00/hour with employer provided health benefits. All new businesses in 2020 were certified at that rate, but Just…