Why does the FLA monitor for minimum wage and not living wage?
Experience shows that it is difficult, if not impossible, to arrive at a region-specific living wage. No one has been able to successfully determine a living wage that would be appropriate for the specific countries in which suppliers of collegiate goods are located. Indeed, attempting to arrive at an appropriate living wage for regions in this country has proved to be a great challenge, despite the relative wealth of economic data for the United States. In light of this, the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct, which is based on International Labor Organization standards, does not include a living wage element. Our Code recognizes that wages are essential to meeting an employee’s needs. It specifies that employers shall pay employees at least the minimum wage required by local law or the prevailing industry wage, whichever is higher, and shall provide legally mandated benefits. Ensuring that workers are paid at least the legally-mandated wage goes a long way to improve the living standards
