New Hampshire continues to lag behind other New England states and fell two spots in an annual ranking of best states to work, advocates for higher wages and worker protection said Thursday.
Gathered outside the State House ahead of Labor Day, the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy addressed the state’s minimum wage, labor shortages and desired policies to support workers.
“We see that too many Granite Staters are working full time and yet they’re still living in poverty,” said Terie Norelli, a former speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. “Compared to other states in New England, we really stick out because every other state has a minimum wage that’s at least $5 an hour higher than it is here in New Hampshire.”
New Hampshire fell to 28th in the nation for working conditions, according to the Best States to Work Index compiled by Oxfam America, a global organization focused on poverty and inequality. The ranking is based on factors of wages, policies and workers’ rights to unionize.
Norelli, an ambassador for Oxfam America, announced this year’s rankings – New Hampshire ranked 34th in wage policy, 23rd in worker protection and 11th in right to organize.
New Hampshire follows the federal minimum wage at $7.25. Oxfam calculates this to be 19.6% of the cost of a living for a family of four, which is a wage of $37.04 per hour. In New England, every state but New Hampshire has a mandated minimum wage above the federal level. Rhode Island’s is the lowest at $12.25, while the minimum wage in Massachusetts is set at $14.25 an hour.
With worker protection, Norelli said the Granite State falls short especially in regard to rights for working women. New Hampshire does not offer accommodations for pregnant workers, workplace breastfeeding, paid family leave or paid sick leave.
Deb Howes, the president of the American Federation of Teachers—New Hampshire, advocated for better working conditions for educators in order to fill vacant positions in schools. The Monitor has recently covered teacher vacancies and retention in a four-part series, Schools Under Stress.
Looking ahead to the legislative session and upcoming election, Amanda Sears, the state director for Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, encouraged support for candidates who promote policy to increase wages and worker protection.
One policy on the group’s radar is childcare scholarships for working families, which is expected to come again during the next legislative session.