Best and Worst States to Work in America 2020
Millions of working families are currently struggling to stay afloat. As the federal government has failed to advance labor laws that would help, some states have stepped up to make vital improvements in wages and conditions.
How does your state rank? This index ranks all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Find out more in our report. (Please note: Oxfam also produced a special edition of the index this year: Best and Worst States to Work in America – During COVID-19.)
Overall score: How the states rank
The index has three dimensions: Wage policies, worker protection policies, and right to organize policies. This map illustrates the combined scores.
State scorecards
Review full information on how each state scores on the full range of labor policies.
The Three Policy Areas: How the States Rank
The Best States to Work Index: How the states rank overall and by policy area
According to economic correlations, good ratings on labor policies definitely relate to positive economic and health indicators. For example, states with higher scores have longer life expectancy and lower infant mortality rates.
1 | California | 87.68 | 71.93 | 93.75 | 100.00 |
2 | District of Columbia | 86.29 | 83.46 | 80.21 | 100.00 |
3 | New York | 84.34 | 69.53 | 87.50 | 100.00 |
4 | Washington | 82.50 | 92.86 | 75.00 | 80.00 |
5 | Oregon | 81.90 | 59.01 | 90.63 | 100.00 |
6 | Massachusetts | 78.67 | 64.04 | 84.38 | 90.00 |
7 | New Jersey | 76.19 | 49.83 | 90.63 | 90.00 |
8 | Connecticut | 74.39 | 58.99 | 84.38 | 80.00 |
9 | Puerto Rico | 70.18 | 36.22 | 84.38 | 95.00 |
10 | Illinois | 65.90 | 56.16 | 56.25 | 95.00 |
11 | Vermont | 65.17 | 54.06 | 59.38 | 90.00 |
12 | Colorado | 63.19 | 71.02 | 58.33 | 60.00 |
13 | Maine | 62.91 | 65.45 | 50.00 | 80.00 |
14 | Rhode Island | 60.31 | 42.56 | 63.54 | 80.00 |
15 | New Mexico | 59.19 | 46.50 | 54.17 | 85.00 |
16 | Hawaii | 59.16 | 45.22 | 58.33 | 80.00 |
17 | Maryland | 57.51 | 51.22 | 45.83 | 85.00 |
18 | Minnesota | 54.43 | 46.00 | 39.58 | 90.00 |
19 | Arizona | 51.60 | 78.38 | 41.67 | 30.00 |
20 | Ohio | 50.68 | 43.60 | 29.17 | 95.00 |
21 | Nevada | 48.51 | 57.64 | 39.58 | 50.00 |
22 | Alaska | 48.29 | 58.20 | 22.92 | 75.00 |
23 | Montana | 46.11 | 55.54 | 29.17 | 60.00 |
24 | Delaware | 44.55 | 34.42 | 31.25 | 80.00 |
25 | New Hampshire | 43.37 | 21.54 | 39.58 | 80.00 |
26 | Nebraska | 42.63 | 38.46 | 29.17 | 70.00 |
27 | South Dakota | 41.76 | 64.55 | 22.92 | 40.00 |
28 | Pennsylvania | 36.54 | 17.50 | 22.92 | 85.00 |
29 | Michigan | 35.52 | 41.96 | 27.08 | 40.00 |
30 | Florida | 34.95 | 30.80 | 22.92 | 60.00 |
31 | Missouri | 33.60 | 41.23 | 16.67 | 50.00 |
32 | West Virginia | 33.01 | 43.12 | 29.17 | 25.00 |
33 | Idaho | 30.32 | 17.58 | 29.17 | 50.00 |
34 | Arkansas | 29.64 | 44.20 | 22.92 | 20.00 |
35 | Indiana | 27.98 | 10.88 | 22.92 | 60.00 |
36 | Wisconsin | 27.25 | 23.11 | 22.92 | 40.00 |
37 | Virginia | 27.04 | 15.35 | 41.67 | 20.00 |
38 | Iowa | 26.92 | 22.16 | 22.92 | 40.00 |
39 | North Dakota | 25.39 | 24.92 | 22.92 | 30.00 |
40 | Wyoming | 25.32 | 24.72 | 16.67 | 40.00 |
41 | Kentucky | 25.22 | 10.15 | 29.17 | 40.00 |
42 | Utah | 24.01 | 13.83 | 35.42 | 20.00 |
43 | Oklahoma | 23.86 | 9.83 | 29.17 | 35.00 |
44 | Louisiana | 23.55 | 7.76 | 33.33 | 30.00 |
45 | Tennessee | 23.16 | 11.40 | 29.17 | 30.00 |
46 | Kansas | 21.22 | 9.43 | 16.67 | 45.00 |
47 | Texas | 16.72 | 14.43 | 16.67 | 20.00 |
48 | South Carolina | 14.28 | 7.46 | 29.17 | 0.00 |
49 | Alabama | 9.46 | 10.37 | 8.33 | 10.00 |
50 | Mississippi | 8.63 | 10.37 | 0.00 | 20.00 |
51 | Georgia | 8.62 | 5.59 | 4.17 | 20.00 |
52 | North Carolina | 6.55 | 6.82 | 10.42 | 0.00 |
Methodology
All data is based on laws and policies in effect as of August 31, 2020.
The index is based on state policies in three dimensions: wages (35% of overall score); worker protections (40% of overall score); and right to organize (25% of overall score).
View full spreadsheets of the data.
Wage policies
Do workers earn a living wage that is sufficient to provide for them and their families? Among the data points in this dimension:
- The ratio of the actual state minimum wage in relation to the cost of living for a family of four with one wage earner. The living wage figure is from the MIT Living Wage Calculator.
- The ratio of a tipped wage to the state minimum wage.
- Whether or not the state allows localities to implement their own minimum wage laws.
- Whether or not states include farmworkers in their minimum wages.
Worker protection policies
This dimension considers the quality of life for workers, especially women and parents. Among the data points in this dimension:
- Protections for women who are pregnant and breastfeeding.
- Mandates for equal pay, pay secrecy, and no salary history.
- Mandates for paid family leave.
- Mandates for paid sick leave.
- Protections around flexible scheduling, reporting pay, split shift pay, advance notice.
- Protections against sexual harassment.
- Extension of state workers’ compensation to farmworkers (a federally excluded labor group).
- Extension of workers’ rights and protections to domestic workers (a federally excluded labor group).
Right to organize policies
This dimension asks whether workers have the right to organize and sustain a trade union. Among the data points in this dimension:
- State “Right to Work” law (which suppresses union activity).
- Public employee (teachers used as a case study) right to collective bargaining and wage negotiation.
- Mandates for project labor agreements with state government.
- Mandates for protection against retaliation.
- Statewide policies on collective bargaining for public workers.