Candidates for NC Labor Commissioner answer key questions from older voters

RALEIGH – At a time when a growing number of older adults are remaining in the workplace longer or going back to work to meet financial needs in their retirements, candidates for NC Labor Commissioner Rep. Josh Dobson (R) and Jessica Holmes (D) answer key questions from older voters.

In the third video voters’ guides for top state offices, AARP is working to better connect the candidates to the state’s most active voting cohort, adults over the age of 50.

The video voters’ guides give the candidates an opportunity to speak directly to AARP members and other voters in North Carolina on proposed solutions to the issues this age group cares most about.  AARP North Carolina posts the Video Voters’ Guide on its website, http://states.aarp.org/north-carolina and promotes the guides directly to its members and through a variety of other ways, including social media. 

AARP North Carolina is a co-sponsor of the NC Institute of Political Leadership’s “Hometown Debate Series,” which featured the candidates in each of the AARP video voters’ guides. Much attention this Election is on health care access, quality and affordability, the high cost of medications and the ability to save for retirement.

AARP North Carolina Director Michael Olender explains, “This position is critical not only to a person’s ability to ability to work safely, but to provide opportunities for workers to be in a better position to save for the future as well as balance their jobs and the demands of family caregiving. According to the AARP Public Policy Institute, in North Carolina, there are approximately 1.2 million people who provide care to loved ones at some point of time each year.

In the voters’ guide, AARP asked candidates the following questions:

• Family caregivers help older parents, spouses and other loved ones live independently, at home, by providing assistance with activities like bathing and dressing as well as performing complex medical/nursing tasks such as administering medication and wound care.  Family caregivers often provide these services with little or no training.  How will you support working family caregivers who need to take time off to care for loved ones?

• Knowing that employees are 15X more likely to save when they have access to payroll deduction, will you commit to working to increase workplace retirement savings option and help reverse the trend of under saving for retirement?
  
• Many hardworking North Carolinians and those who are struggling in jobs without health benefits would be eligible for health coverage under the Medicaid option for individuals who earn up to $17,609 a year. Do you support the expansion of Medicaid?  If not, how would you expand access to affordable health coverage for struggling workers? 
  
  NC Labor Commissioner Video Voters' Guide

AARP has a proud 34-year history of non-partisan voter engagement and does not endorse or oppose candidates, nor does AARP make contributions to political campaigns or candidates, AARP does encourage voters to ask questions, so they understand where the candidates stand on important issues and make their own decisions this fall.

This year’s “Protect Voters 50+” campaign includes information North Carolinians need about the elections, including information on how to vote safely, absentee ballots and early voting.