President Obama on Wednesday praised Facebook’s decision to require higher wages and better benefits for its contractors and vendors.
The social media giant announced it will require all contractors and vendors to raise employees’ wages to at least $15 an hour and offer 15 paid days off each year. The company also will require contractors to provide paid parental leave or offer a $4,000 new child benefit.
The White House long has called on Congress to improve paid leave policies through federal legislation, but with the issue stalled on Capitol Hill, the president has been urging private companies to act voluntarily.
“We don’t see companies like Facebook doing this out of charity. They think it’s good for business. The president thinks it’s good for business, too,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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