Voters endorse paid sick leave; legislators in three states initiate efforts to revoke it
Voters in Alaska, Missouri, and Nebraska got a win last year when they supported paid sick leave for workers. But now, some lawmakers are trying to take that benefit away, citing business concerns about costs.
This latest move comes after Michigan revised its seven-year-old paid sick leave law, delaying compliance for small businesses and extending the time before new employees are eligible.
While some citizens are furious, lawmakers argue that the activists who crafted the initiatives didn't fully comprehend the complexities of running a business.
Tim Hart, owner of a Hannibal, Missouri, restaurant, stated that the requirement for paid sick leave imposes a double financial hit because he has to pay someone to stay home and another to cover the shift. He urged the state Senate to halt the law, fearing it could lead to his restaurant's closure.
Paid sick leave will start in Missouri on May 1, July 1 in Alaska, and October 1 in Nebraska. For Richard Eiker, a McDonald's employee, it's a moment he's been waiting for. He's worked 40 years without paid sick leave, even when dealing with a kidney stone.
"I took some pain medication and went to work anyway, working through the pain," Eiker said. "It would have been nice to stay home."
Lower-wage workers and small businesses struggle
Federal law mandates unpaid leave for many employers, but there's no requirement to pay sick days. Last year, 79% of private-sector employees received paid sick leave, according to the Department of Labor. However, part-time workers and those in the lower-income quartile were less likely to receive this benefit.
Over the past decade, the number of states requiring paid sick leave has increased significantly. Last year, measures on ballots across three states brought the total to 18 states and Washington D.C. Three more states require paid leave for any reason, not just illness.
Many paid sick leave laws, like those in Alaska, Missouri, and Nebraska, apply to employers with at least one worker. However, some states exempt smaller businesses, and the number of annual paid sick leave days varies.
Missouri lawmaker wants it "less burdensome" for employers
Despite the Missouri Supreme Court upholding the paid sick leave law against an appeal by business groups, efforts to revise it continue. In March, Republican members of the House of Representatives approved legislation that would repeal the paid sick leave requirement, blocked by the Democratic minority in the Senate. An alternative bill is being pushed to delay the law until later this year, exempt small businesses, and eliminate workers' ability to sue for alleged violations.
State Republican Senator Mike Bernskoetter, a small business owner who supports the bill, said the intent is to make it "a little less burdensome for employers." However, Democratic lawmakers argue that many workers already struggle, and losing even a little work can set them back.
Nebraska legislators warn of "major overreach"
Legislation pushed by Republican lawmakers in Nebraska would create exceptions for 14 and 15-year-old employees, temporary and seasonal agricultural workers, and businesses with ten or fewer employees. It would also strip workers of the ability to sue employers who retaliate against them for using paid sick leave.
Supporters of the revisions claim they aim to protect small businesses from higher costs. However, opponents say they are effectively dismantling the law.
Alaska Labor Leader predicts "long fight" over voters' wishes
A bill by state Representative Justin Ruffridge would exempt employers with fewer than 50 employees and seasonal workers from the paid sick leave requirement. While this bill may face resistance in the final weeks of the current session, union leader Joelle Hall predicts a "long fight to protect the wishes of voters from the wills and whims of business owners who don't want to pay sick days."
Sources:
- State of Alaska Labor Standards and Safety Division
- Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
- National Conference of State Legislatures
- Missouri's Paid Sick Leave Initiative - Ballotpedia)
- Alaska Paid Sick Leave initiative approved
- Missouri Supreme Court upholds state's paid sick leave law
- Nebraska lawmakers consider exemptions to paid sick leave law
- Alaska Senate Bill 144 - 2023 Regular Session
- Lower-wage workers and small businesses are expressing concerns over the complexity of new paid sick leave policies, suggesting they struggle to meet the requirements and face potential financial burdens.
- In Missouri, some lawmakers are proposing to make the paid sick leave policy "less burdensome" for employers, which opponents argue could result in workers losing potential benefits.
- Nebraska lawmakers are debating legislation that would create exceptions and eliminate certain protections for workers in the paid sick leave law, prompting fears that it could effectively undermine the entire policy.
- In Alaska, union leaders are rallying to protect the voters' established preference for paid sick leave, foreseeing a long battle against attempts to exempt certain employers and seasonal workers from the law.
