North Carolina Ranks Last in Worker Protections and Wages, Citing Reliance on Federal Standards
North Carolina has been identified as the worst state for workers in Oxfam America’s 2024 Best and Worst States to Work index. The report evaluates states based on three key standards: wages, worker protections, and the right to organize. According to Kaitlyn Henderson, a senior researcher at Oxfam and the lead author of the index, these standards are either insufficient or nonexistent at the federal level. North Carolina's low ranking is attributed to its almost exclusive reliance on federal standard policies for wages, worker protections, and the right to organize, unlike higher-ranking states such as California, which provides more robust wages and protections. For instance, the federal minimum wage, which North Carolina adheres to, is $7.25 an hour, a rate unchanged since 2009. This is shared with neighboring states like Tennessee and South Carolina, but North Carolina's higher cost of living contributes to its worse score. Debbie Everly, director of Orange County Living Wage, expressed disappointment ...
