JOBS & THE ECONOMY

To ensure we have an American economy that works for everyone, we need to grow it from the middle out, not from the top down. We can ensure security and opportunity for hardworking American families by making long term investments in our infrastructure, fighting for equal pay for women, ensuring that anyone who is willing to work hard can provide for their family, and making sure a quality education is affordable for everyone. We all do better when the middle class is strong, and within reach for every American family.

OUR PROGRESS

Our economy has come a long way since the Great Recession. We’ve added more than 10 million private-sector jobs over the longest run of uninterrupted job growth in history. Unemployment has fallen from 10% to under 6% in the last six years, and the deficit has been cut in half. That’s undeniable progress. But there’s more we need to do to make sure that hard-working families have a fair shot at success.

We’ve added more than 10 million private-sector jobs over the longest run of uninterrupted job growth in history. 

RAISE THE WAGE

No one who works full time in America should have to raise their family in poverty, but the federal minimum wage hasn’t kept pace with the rising costs of basic necessities for working families. Today, the real value of the minimum wage is roughly the same as what it was in the 1950s. When we asked Americans if they knew how much someone earning minimum wage makes in a year, they were surprised by the answer:

Increasing the minimum wage would spur economic growth. Raising the wage nationwide would give a raise to 28 million workers across the country, and lift nearly a million people out of poverty. These workers aren’t just teenagers at their first job—nearly two-thirds of workers who earn the minimum wage are women, and the average age of workers who would benefit from a higher wage is 35 years old.

OFA supporters aren’t waiting for Congress.

Make sure lawmakers know where you stand. Higher wages are good for workers, good for business, and are key to a stronger economy that creates opportunity for all Americans. Add your name to tell lawmakers that it’s time to raise the minimum wage.

FAIR PAY

On average, a woman still earns just 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. Women deserve equal pay for equal work. It’s that simple. When women are paid less than men, it hurts our families and it hurts our economy. If things don’t change, we are holding our families back and compromising our children’s chances at success.

OFA supporters are standing with women and their right to equal pay for equal work. Add your name to stand with women.

COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY

Access to a quality education is one of the keys to getting ahead. But at $1 trillion, student loan debt is spiraling out of control. There are steps that Congress could take right now to make college more affordable for millions of students and help America out-educate and out-innovate the world.

If you think it’s time to relieve the burden of student debt, then add your name to join  the fight.

A BETTER BARGAIN

Our economy has added more than 10 million private-sector jobs, with more than four years of consecutive monthly job growth.

Every American should have the opportunity to share in the American Dream. President Obama will continue to work with Congress, where he can, to build a stronger middle class, but he has shown that he’s also willing to take action when Congress won’t. 

President Obama issued an executive order raising the minimum wage to $10.10 for federal contractors. Even though Congress hasn’t acted, cities, states, and businesses across the country have answered the President’s call from the State of the Union, where he asked for the minimum wage to be raised for all workers.

The President has taken steps toward paycheck fairness by prohibiting federal contractors from retaliating against federal contractors from retaliating against workers who choose to discuss their compensation.

He directed the Secretary of Labor to update overtime pay protections so more Americans earn pay that reflects their hard work.

The administration has partnered with over 300 companies to help the long-term unemployed find jobs. And the President has announced $150 million in existing funds to provide training and job opportunities through public-private partnerships.

In order to help make student loan payments more manageable, President Obama signed a memorandum ensuring student loan payments be limited to 10 percent of a person’s monthly income.

U.S. manufacturing has added more than 700,000 jobs since 2010—the fastest pace of job growth since the 1990s. The President is building on that momentum by taking new actions to spur innovation, strengthen advanced manufacturing, and make the United States a magnet for investment and new jobs.