Durbin, Schakowski to Re-Introduce Patriot Employers Act

By Kevin Robinson in News on Apr 6, 2009 5:40PM

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and Evanston Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky announced in a joint press release that they will re-introduce the Patriot Employers Act in Congress this week. The legislation, which then-Senator Barack Obama co-sponsored in 2007, would grant a a tax credit equal to one percent of taxable income to employers that meet the following requirements:

• Invest in American jobs, by maintaining or increasing the number of full-time workers in America relative to the number of full-time workers outside of America AND by maintaining corporate headquarters in America if the company has ever been headquartered in America.
• Pay decent wages, by paying each worker an hourly wage that would ensure that a full-time worker would earn enough to keep a family of three out of poverty (at least $ 7.80 per hour)
• Prepare workers for retirement, by providing either a defined benefit plan OR a defined contribution plan that fully matches at least 5% of worker contributions for every employee.
• Provide health insurance, by paying at least 60% of each worker's health care premiums.

"Americans have had enough with a corporate culture that rewards bad behavior and ignores the average worker. While some companies look for ways to avoid their responsibility to employees, others stand out for how they treat their workforce. It is time for Patriot Employers to be recognized for doing right by their workers, customers and shareholders," Durbin said in the statement.