OnTheIssuesLogo

Jared Polis on Jobs

 

 


Raise minimum wage, encourage profit sharing

As a progressive of course I support raising the minimum wage, family medical leave and ensuring that employers follow our laws; but we need fresh ideas to do more to address the rising income disparity and ensure that workers share in the value that they help create. My goal as Governor is to make Colorado first in the nation for companies that share their profits and success with their workers, just as I did with the companies I started.
Source: 2018 Colorado Gubernatorial website PolisForColorado.com ,

Expand collective bargaining, instead of "right-to-work"

Q: Enact "right to work" law, eliminating the right of unions to mandate dues for workers they represent?

Jared Polis (D): No. "Protect & expand collective bargaining rights while actively opposing attacks on organized labor."

Walker Stapleton (R): Unknown.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Colorado Governor race , Oct 9, 2018

Let municipalities raise local minimum wage

Q: Raise the minimum wage above $7.25/hour?

Jared Polis (D): Yes. Also let municipalities raise the minimum wage in their area.

Walker Stapleton (R): Unknown. But generally opposes regulation of business.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Colorado Governor race , Oct 9, 2018

Signed equal pay law; supports minority/women owned business

In Colorado, we believe your future should not be pre-determined by the color of your skin, your parents' income, your religion, your age, your disability status, where you live, where you were born, who you love, your gender identity. We believe in a Colorado For All. That's why I was proud to sign an equal pay bill guaranteeing that men and women get paid the same wage for the same work. That's why we are proud to support our minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses.
Source: 2020 Colorado State of the State address , Jan 9, 2020

Passed a law to ensure women are paid the same as men

It's simple: our efforts to support Colorado families fall short if we can't ensure Colorado women a secure place in our economy. That's why it's so important that we passed a law to ensure women are paid the same as men.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Colorado legislature , Feb 17, 2021

Form unions by card-check instead of secret ballot.

Polis signed H.R.1409&S.560

Amends the National Labor Relations Act to require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to certify a bargaining representative without directing an election if a majority of the bargaining unit employees have authorized designation of the representative (card-check) and there is no other individual or labor organization currently certified or recognized as the exclusive representative of any of the employees in the unit.

    Requires that priority be given to any charge that, while employees were seeking representation by a labor organization, an employer:
  1. discharged or otherwise discriminated against an employee to encourage or discourage membership in the labor organization;
  2. threatened to discharge or to otherwise discriminate against an employee in order to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of guaranteed self-organization or collective bardaining rights; or
  3. engaged in any unfair labor practice that significantly interferes with, restrains, or coerces employees in the exercise of such guaranteed rights.
    Source: Employee Free Choice Act 09-HR1409 on Mar 10, 2009

    Rated 0% by CEI, indicating a pro-worker rights voting record.

    Polis scores 0% by CEI on union issues

    The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), a public policy organization dedicated to the principles of free markets and limited government, has created a Congressional Labor Scorecard for the 112th Congress focusing on worker issues. The score is determined based on policies that support worker freedom and the elimination of Big Labor`s privileges across the country.

      Votes in the current Congress score include:
    • Bill: H.R. 658, LaTourette Amendment No. 21: NO on repealing changes to the Railway Labor Act`s voting rules.
    • Bill: H.R. 658, Gingrey Amendment No. 18: YES to prohibit Federal Aviation Administration employees from using official--that is, taxpayer sponsored--time for union activities during the official workday.
    • Bill: H.R. 1, Price Amendment No. 410: YES to defund the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
    • Bill: H.R. 1, Guinta Amendment No. 166: YES to prohibit imposing `prevailing wage` and other requirements in project labor agreements that advantage unionized contractors.
    • Bill: H.R. 2017, Scalise Amendment No. 388: YES to prohibit project labor agreements in DHS contracts
    • Bill: H.R. 2055, LaTourette Amendment No. 411: NO on funding for federal project labor agreements.
    • Bill: H.R. 1, King Amendment No. 273: YES to eliminate the `Davis Bacon` prevailing wage rate requirement for federal projects.
    • Bill: H.R. 2017, Gosar Amendment No. 386: YES to eliminate the `Davis Bacon` prevailing wage rate requirement for Department of Homeland Security contracts.
    • Bill: H.R. 2354: Gosar Amendment No. 655: YES to restrict application of the Davis-Bacon Act to contracts exceeding $20 million.
    • Bill: H.R. 2017: Rokita Amendment No. 2: YES to prohibit collective bargaining at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
    Source: CEI website 12-CEI-H on May 2, 2012

    Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016.

    Polis co-sponsored Minimum Wage Fairness Act

    Congressional summary: Increases the federal minimum wage for employees to:

    1. $8.20 an hour beginning 6 months after enactment
    2. $9.15 an hour beginning 1 year later,
    3. $10.10 an hour beginning 2 years later, and
    4. an amount determined by increases in the Consumer Price Index, beginning annually after 3 years.
    • Increases the federal minimum wage for tipped employees to $3.00 an hour beginning 6 months after enactment, with annual CPI adjustments.

    Proponent`s argument in favor (RaiseTheMinimumWage.com): The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour remains decades out of date, and the federal minimum wage for tipped workers--$2.13 per hour--has not increased in over 20 years. The minimum wage of the past provided significantly more buying power than it does today. The minimum wage of $1.60 an hour in 1968 would be $10.56 today when adjusted for inflation.

    Opponent`s argument against: (Neil King in Wall Street Journal, Feb. 24, 2014): The CBO concluded that a jump in the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour could eliminate 500,000 jobs. For Republicans, the report provided ammunition that a higher minimum wage would kill jobs. Democrats pointed to the CBO`s findings that the higher wage would lift 900,000 people out of poverty. But both sides missed a key finding: That a smaller hike from the current $7.25 to $9.00 an hour would cause almost no pain, and still lift 300,000 people out of poverty while raising the incomes of 7.6 million people.Congressional Budget Office report:: Once fully implemented, the $10.10 option would reduce total employment by about 500,000 workers, or 0.3%. Some people earning slightly more than $10.10 would also have higher earnings, due to the heightened demand for goods and services. The increased earnings for low-wage workers would total $31 billion. Accounting for all increases and decreases, overall real income would rise by $2 billion.

    Source: S.1737 & H.R.1010 14-H1010 on Mar 6, 2013

    Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue.

    Polis signed Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

      Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to declare that an unlawful employment practice occurs when:
    1. a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice is adopted;
    2. an individual becomes subject to the decision or practice; or
    3. an individual is affected by application of the decision or practice, including each time wages, benefits, or other compensation is paid.
    Allows an aggrieved person to obtain relief, including recovery of back pay, for up to two years preceding the filing of the charge, where the unlawful employment practices that have occurred during the charge filing period are similar or related to practices that occurred outside the time for filing a charge. Applies the preceding provisions to claims of compensation discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

    [Note: A woman named Lilly Ledbetter filed a lawsuit for gender-based discriminatory compensation. The Supreme Court ruled that Ms. Ledbetter could only sue for damages going back 180 days, and the 180 days was calculated from the time her employment contract was initiated, i.e., her hire date. This new law changes the 180-day period to two years, and also calculates the date from the time of each paycheck, rather than the hire date. -- Ed.]

    Source: S.181&H.R.11 2009-S181 on Jan 29, 2009

    Stronger enforcement against gender-based pay discrimination.

    Polis signed Paycheck Fairness Act

      A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the basis of sex.
    • Revises the exception to the prohibition for a wage rate differential based on any other factor other than sex. Limits such factors to bona fide factors, such as education, training, or experience.
    • Prohibits employer retaliation for inquiring about, discussing, or disclosing the wages of the employee in response to a sex discrimination investigation.
    • Makes employers who violate sex discrimination prohibitions liable in a civil action for either compensatory or punitive damages.
    • States that any action brought to enforce the prohibition against sex discrimination may be maintained as a class action in which individuals may be joined as party plaintiffs without their written consent.
    Source: S.182&H.R.12 2009-S182 on Jan 8, 2009

    Other governors on Jobs: Jared Polis on other issues:
    [Title7]
    		Gubernatorial Debates 2021:
    CA Recall:
    S.D.Mayor Kevin_Faulconer(R)
    vs.Former Gov. nominee John Cox(R)
    vs.Former U.S.Rep Doug Ose(R)
    vs.Laura Smith(R)
    vs.Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner(R)
    vs.Radio Host Larry Elder(R)
    vs.Kevin Paffrath(D)
    vs.Gavin Newsom(D)
    NJ: Incumbent Phil Murphy(D)
    vs.State Rep. Jack Ciattarelli(R)
    vs.Candidate Hirsh Singh(R)
    vs.GOP Chair Doug Steinhardt(R)
    VA: Incumbent Ralph Northam(D,term-limited)
    vs.Former Governor Terry McAuliffe(D)
    vs.CEO Glenn Youngkin(R)
    vs.A.G. Mark Herring(D)
    vs.State Sen. Amanda Chase(I)
    vs.Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax(D)
    vs.State Rep. Jennifer Carroll Foy(D)
    vs.State Rep. Lee Carter(D)
    vs.State Sen. Jennifer McClellan(D)
    vs.State Rep. Kirk Cox(R)
    vs.CEO Pete Snyder(R)

    Gubernatorial Debates 2023:
    KY: Incumbent Andy Beshear(D)
    vs.State A.G. Daniel Cameron(R)

    vs.Ambassador Kelly Craft(R)
    vs.State Auditor Mike Harmon(R)
    LA: Incumbent John Bel Edwards(D,term-limited)
    vs.Biden Adviser Cedric Richmond(? D)
    vs.Senator John Neely Kennedy(? R)
    vs.Mitch Landrieu(D ?)
    MS: Incumbent Tate Reeves(R)
    vs.Bill Waller(R)

    Gubernatorial Debates 2022:
    AK: Incumbent Mike Dunleavy(R)
    vs.Bill Walker(I)
    vs.Les Gara(D)
    vs.Billy Toien(L)
    vs.State Rep. Chris Kurka(R)
    AL: Incumbent Kay Ivey(R)
    vs.Chris Countryman(D)
    vs.Yolanda Flowers(D)
    vs.Stacy Lee George(R)
    vs.Ambassador Lynda Blanchard(R)
    vs.State Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier(D)
    vs.Challenger Tim James(R)
    AR: Incumbent Asa Hutchinson(R,term-limited)
    vs.Trump Adviser Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R)
    vs.A.G. Leslie Rutledge(R,withdrew Nov.2021)
    vs.Ricky Dale Harrington(L)
    vs.Anthony Bland(D)
    vs.Chris Jones(D)
    AZ: Incumbent Doug Ducey(R,term-limited)
    Mayor Marco Lopez(D)
    vs.Former news anchor Kari Lake(R)
    vs.Secretary of State Katie Hobbs(D)
    vs.State Treasurer Kimberly Yee(R)
    vs.U.S.Rep.Matt Salmon(R)
    vs.Steve Gaynor(R)
    vs.State Rep.Aaron Lieberman(D)
    vs.Jorge Rivas(R)
    vs.Karrin Taylor Robson(R)
    CA: Incumbent Gavin Newsom(D)
    vs.S.D.Mayor Kevin_Faulconer(R)
    vs.Former Gov. nominee John Cox(R)
    vs.Kevin Paffrath(D)
    vs.State Sen. Brian Dahle(R)
    vs.State A.G. Rob Bonta(D for AG)
    CO: Incumbent Jared Polis(D)
    vs.Mayor Greg Lopez(R)
    vs.Heidi Ganahl(R)
    CT: Incumbent Ned Lamont(D)
    vs.Bob Stefanowski(? R)
    FL: Incumbent Ron DeSantis(R)
    vs.Former Gov.Charlie Crist(D)
    vs.Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried(D)
    vs.Annette Taddeo(D)
    vs.Brian Moore(G)
    GA: Incumbent Brian Kemp(R)
    vs.Minority Leader Stacey Abrams(D)
    vs.Senate candidate Shane Hazel(L)
    vs.State Rep.Vernon Jones(R)
    vs.2020 candidate Kandiss Taylor(R)
    vs.Senator David Perdue(R)
    HI: Incumbent David Ige(D,term-limited)
    vs.Former Lt.Gov.Duke Aiona(R nominee)
    vs.Marissa Kerns(R)
    vs.Lt.Gov.Josh Green(D nominee)
    vs.Vicky Cayetano(D)
    vs.Paul Morgan(R)
    vs.State Rep.Kirk Caldwell(D)
    vs.U.S.Rep.Kai Kahele(D)
    IA: Incumbent Kim Reynolds(R)
    vs.Deidre DeJear(D)
    vs.State Rep.Ras Smith(D)
    ID: Incumbent Brad Little(R)
    vs.Stephen Heidt(D)
    vs.Raul Labrador(R)
    vs.Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin(R)
    vs.Ammon Bundy(R)
    vs.Ed Humphreys(R)
    IL: Incumbent J.B. Pritzker(D)
    vs.State Sen.Darren Bailey(R)
    vs.Paul Schimpf(R)
    vs.Jesse Sullivan(R)
    vs.Richard Irvin(R)
    KS: Incumbent Laura Kelly(D)
    vs.Jeff Colyer(R)
    vs.State Sen.Derek Schmidt(R)
    vs.Chase LaPorte(R)     		Gubernatorial Debates 2022 (continued):
    MA: Incumbent Charlie Baker(R)
    vs.Lt.Gov.Karyn Polito(R)
    vs.State Rep. Geoff Diehl(R)
    vs.Harvard Professor Danielle Allen(D)
    vs.State Sen.Ben Downing(D)
    vs.State Sen.Sonia Chang-Diaz(D)
    vs.Shiva Ayyadurai(I)
    vs.A.G. Maura Healey(D)
    MD: Incumbent Larry Hogan(R,term-limited)
    vs.State Del.Robin Ficker(R) vs.State Del.Peter Franchot(D) vs.State Del.Kelly M. Schulz(R) vs.Secretary John B. King(D) vs.Ashwani Jain(D) vs.State A.G. Doug Gansler(D) vs.County Exec. Rushern Baker(D) vs.Secretary Thomas Perez(D) vs.Wes Moore(D) vs.Dan Cox(R)
    ME: Incumbent Janet Mills(D)
    vs.Former Gov. Paul LePage(R)
    MI: Incumbent Gretchen Whitmer(D)
    vs.Chief James Craig(R)
    vs.Police Chief Tudor Dixon(R)
    vs.Garrett Soldano(R)
    vs.John E. James(? R)
    MN: Incumbent Tim Walz(DFL)
    vs.Mayor Mike Murphy(R)
    vs.State Sen.Scott Jensen(R)
    vs.Michelle Benson(R)
    vs.Paul Gazelka(R)
    NE: Incumbent Pete Ricketts(R,term-limited)
    vs.U.S.Senator Bob Krist(R)
    vs.Chuck Herbster(R)
    vs.Jim Pillen(R)
    vs.Brett Lindstrom(R)
    vs.Carol Blood(D)
    vs.State Sen. Theresa Thibodeau(R)
    NH: Incumbent Chris Sununu(R)
    vs.Dan Feltes(D)
    vs.Karen Testerman(R)
    vs.Dr.Tom Sherman(D)
    NM: Incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham(D)
    vs.Commissioner Jay Block(R)
    vs.State Rep.Rebecca Dow(R)
    vs.Mark Ronchetti(R)
    NV: Incumbent Steve Sisolak(D)
    vs.A.G.Adam Laxalt(R)
    vs.North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee(R)
    vs.Dean Heller(R)
    vs.Joe Lombardo(R)
    vs.Mayor Michele Fiore(R)
    NY: Incumbent Andrew Cuomo(D,resigned)
    vs.Acting Gov.Kathy Hochul(D)
    vs.Joe Pinion(R)
    vs.Rob Astorino(R)
    vs.Andrew Giuliani(R)
    vs.US.Rep.Lee Zeldin(R)
    vs.Tom Suozzi(D)
    vs.Attorney General Letitia James(D)
    OH: Incumbent Mike DeWine(R)
    vs.Former Rep.Jim Renacci(R)
    vs.Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley(D)
    vs.Mayor John Cranley(D)
    OK: Incumbent Kevin Stitt(R)
    vs.State Sen. Ervin Yen(R)
    vs.Connie Johnson(D)
    vs.Joy Hofmeister(D)
    vs.Natalie Bruno(L)
    OR: Incumbent Kate Brown(D,term-limited)
    vs.Gov. nominee Bud Pierce(R)
    vs.Paul Romero(R)
    vs.Casey Kulla(D)
    vs.Kerry McQuisten(R)
    vs.Tina Kotek(D)
    vs.Nicholas Kristof(D)
    vs.Tobias Read(D)
    vs.State Rep. Christine Drazan(R)
    vs.Julian Bell(D)
    PA: Incumbent Tom Wolf(D,term-limited)
    vs.U.S.Rep. Lou Barletta(R)
    vs.Commissioner Joe Gale(R)
    vs.A.G.Josh Shapiro(D)
    vs.William McSwain(R)
    vs.U.S.Rep.Melissa Hart(R)
    vs.State Sen.Scott Martin(R)
    vs.State Sen. Scott Martin(R)
    vs.State Sen. Doug Mastriano(R)
    RI: Incumbent Gina Raimondo(D,to Cabinet)
    vs.Gov. Dan McKee(D)
    vs.Ashley Kalus(R)
    vs.Mayor Allan Fung(R)
    vs.Secy.Matt Brown(D)
    vs.Luis-Daniel Munoz(D)
    vs.RI Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea(D)
    vs.Seth Magainer(D)
    vs.Helena Foulkes(D)
    SC: Incumbent Henry McMaster(R)
    vs.US.Rep.Joe Cunningham(D)
    vs.State senator Mia McLeod(D)
    SD: Incumbent Kristi Noem(R)
    vs.State Rep. Billie Sutton(? D)
    vs.Speaker Steven Haugaard(R)
    vs.Jamie R. Smith(D)
    TN: Incumbent Bill Lee(R)
    vs.Jason Martin(D)
    vs.Carnita Atwater(D)
    vs.J B Smiley(D)
    TX: Incumbent Greg Abbott(R)
    vs.Beto O`Rourke(D)
    vs.Chad Prather(R)
    vs.State Sen.Don Huffines(R)
    vs.U.S.Rep. Allen West(R)
    vs.Deirdre Gilbert(D)
    VT: Incumbent Phil Scott(R)
    vs.Brenda Siegel(D)
    WI: Incumbent Tony Evers(D)
    vs.Tim Michels(R)
    vs.CEO Jonathan Wichmann(R)
    vs.Rebecca Kleefisch(R)
    vs.State Rep. Timothy Ramthun(R)
    WY: Incumbent Mark Gordon(R)
    vs.Theresa Livingstone(D)
    vs.Rex Rammell(R)     		Abortion
    Budget/Economy
    Civil Rights
    Corporations
    Crime
    Drugs
    Education
    Energy/Oil
    Environment
    Families/Children
    Foreign Policy
    Free Trade
    Govt. Reform
    Gun Control
    Health Care
    Homeland Security
    Immigration
    Infrastructure/Technology
    Jobs
    Local Issues
    Principles/Values
    Social Security
    Tax Reform
    War/Iraq/Mideast
    Welfare/Poverty

    [Title9]





    Page last updated: Apr 29, 2023; copyright 1999-2022 Jesse Gordon and OnTheIssues.org