Upcoming State of Scranton to Share Living Wage Report 2022 Update

The University of Scranton will host a State of Scranton presentation of the 2022 update of the Living Wage Report and a discussion on what it costs to live a modest but dignified life in Northeastern Pennsylvania in 2022. Members of The University of Scranton and greater Scranton area communities are invited to join for this event on Tuesday, Nov. 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in The Kane Forum, Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Hall, at The University of Scranton. Lunch will be provided. Registration at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2022Wage

Beginning in 2016, The University of Scranton and The Institute set out to understand better what constitutes a living wage in Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) and to produce a report that went beyond the poverty rate to analyze what is required for economic security in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The initial 2016 Living Wage report found that the federal minimum wage of $7.25 proved inadequate to enable families in the region to reach a living wage threshold where they can meet their “essential basic needs and live a modest but dignified life.”

This initial report was updated three years later in 2019 and now again in 2022. In addition to up-to-date data, the updated reports also identify key changes in the costs associated with meeting basic needs. Each iteration of the report also includes perspectives from community leaders and new policy recommendations rooted in Catholic Social Teaching on economic justice. The previous report can be found online at: scranton.edu/livingwage. 

Presenters at the upcoming State of Scranton will include Andrew Chew, director of research, The Institute; Julie Schumacher Cohen, assistant vice president of Community Engagement & Government Affairs, The University of Scranton; and JoyAnna Hopper, Ph.D., director, Center for Ethics & Excellence in Public Service, The University of Scranton.

"The Living Wage Report has become a socioeconomic gauge for our city and our region. It not only highlights challenges facing our community members in relation to jobs, housing, and food insecurity but also offers potential solutions and action steps for policy makers, community organizations, and all of us as neighbors in Northeastern Pennsylvania," said Schumacher Cohen. 

The 2022 Living Wage Report is a collaboration of The Institute and The University of Scranton Office of Community & Government Relations, the Ellacuría Initiative, the Center for Ethics & Excellence in Public Service, and the Department of Political Science.