Field Hearing in Seattle, Washington: "Lessons from Seattle: New Horizons for Workers’ Pay, Benefits, and Protections"
WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, August 9, 2022, at 12pm PT (3pm ET), the U.S. House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, chaired by Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04), hosted a field hearing “Lessons from Seattle: New Horizons for Workers’ Pay, Benefits, and Protections,” focusing on how innovative labor market laws and ordinances in Washington State and Seattle have impacted the local economy, businesses, and workers.
Led by Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), this bipartisan delegation heard directly from local stakeholders and subject matter experts on how Seattle workers have benefited from policies like a higher minimum wage, paid leave, and portable benefits. Members also heard about the challenges faced by workers currently ineligible for many of these benefits and, importantly, potential solutions that could bridge the benefit gap and help those currently left behind.
This is part of a larger trip to the Seattle-area where Select Committee members conducted site visits and field events that further analyzed Seattle’s labor market policies and their local economic impacts. These events underscored the roles that government entities, the private sector and labor unions have on economic mobility in Seattle’s unique labor market.
WHO:
- Chairman Jim Himes (CT-04)
- Ranking Member Bryan Steil (WI-01)
- Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07)
- Select Committee Members
- Senator Rebecca Saldaña, Washington’s 37th Legislative District (Written Statement)
- Mr. Peter Kuel, President, Drivers Union (Written Statement)
- Ms. Misha Werschkul, Executive Director, Washington State Budget & Policy Center (Written Statement)
- Ms. Danielle Alvarado, Executive Director, Fair Work Center & Working Washington (Written Statement)
- Mr. Todd Myers, Director of the Center for the Environment at Washington Policy Center (Written Statement)