A recent survey conducted by Oxfam ranked California as the second-best place to be a worker in the U.S., with Washington, D.C. taking the top spot. The survey looked at 27 workplace policy issues to measure the strength of worker rights in each state. California ranked high in wage policies, worker protection, and the right to organize, but also had some of the highest annualized wages and union representation rates in the country.
Despite the strong pro-labor regulations in California, the state’s job growth rate was lower than some others, indicating that employers may be avoiding high-cost, pro-worker states. In a separate ranking by StartFleet, California also placed fifth in the best place to work, behind New York, Washington, Hawaii, and Oregon.
Overall, the top 10 states to work in had higher average annualized wages and unionization rates compared to the bottom 10 states, but the job growth rate in the bottom 10 states was nearly quadruple that of the top 10 states. This data suggests a balancing act between strong worker protection and job growth opportunities.
For more information on economic trends and business news, contact Jonathan Lansner, the business columnist for the Southern California News Group.
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