The proposed citywide minimum wage and earned sick time policy being considered by the San Diego City Council would mean raises for one in three women, a local research institute predicted Tuesday.
The Center on Policy Initiatives released a report showing that one third of women and one quarter of men employed in the city would get raises by the time the proposed law is fully implemented in 2017. That would be a total of 115,000 women and 105,000 men.
The law would particularly benefit women because they are more likely to have low-wage jobs in restaurants, hotels, retail stores and other service businesses, according to the policy center.
“More than half – 52 percent– of San Diegans who would earn a raise from this proposal are women, although women make up just 44 percentof the workforce,” said Clare Crawford, executive director of the policy center. “Among women working part-time, almost two thirds would get a raise.”
Supporters say the wage increases under the law would enable low-income families to pay their bills and buy more goods and services in the community.
“Not only is it the right thing to do, it’s good for our local economy,” said Councilmember Marti Emerald, who joined the policy center at press conference presenting the report.
The proposal by City Council President Todd Gloria would set a minimum wage of $13.09 throughout the city and require that employees be able to earn up to five paid sick days a year. The law is up for a committee vote in the council on Wednesday.
Last week, the San Diego County Taxpayers Association and San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce released a report that said a wage increase above any mandated by the state — set to reach $9 an hour next month and $10 an hour in 2016 — would hurt the city’s competitiveness, and force local businesses to cut back workers’ hours or raise prices.
The policy center describes itself as a nonprofit research and action institute dedicated to advancing economic equity for working people and diverse communities throughout the San Diego region.
