Ahead of pending changes to Michigan’s paid sick leave law scheduled for next year, a group of the state’s leading business advocacy groups is calling on the Legislature to take action on the policy before it adjourns in December.
The group, which includes the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Detroit Regional Chamber, the Michigan Small Business Administration, and numerous other statewide and local advocacy groups, urges lawmakers to restore the small business exemption and improve the state’s Requests for further changes to be made based on time. The law is currently set to be expanded following a July ruling by the Michigan Supreme Court.
In July, a court ruled that Michigan’s current paid sick time law is unconstitutional, and the state Legislature in 2018 adopted language from a petition to expand paid sick time; It said it did not have the authority to amend the wording to reduce payments. In workplaces with fewer than 50 employees, sick leave workers can earn income and may be exempt. The court also struck down the state’s current minimum wage levels, which were enacted in the same year under an “adopt-and-amend” approach.
Currently, starting February 21, 2025, Michigan employees will receive one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Businesses with 10 or more employees must allow workers to use up to 72 hours of paid sick leave if accrued. Businesses with fewer than 10 employees must allow workers to take up to 40 hours of paid sick leave. The new rules do not apply to workers employed by the federal government.
Some of the changes business groups are seeking include:
Restores exemptions for businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Creates exemptions for part-time, seasonal, temporary, subcontracted, and youth workers. Removes a provision in the law that allows employees to submit notice to take leave “as soon as practicable.” In reality, this provision would allow employees up to 72 hours of “no-call, no-show” time per year, according to business groups. The group wants to require notice before the start of a shift unless the employee is incapacitated. In addition, business groups want paid leave to be accrued in four-hour increments, allowing employers to take paid leave in advance at the beginning of each year rather than forcing employees to take it. Business groups also argue that employers should be able to pool paid time off into one category, rather than pooling paid sick leave and other leave categories, such as vacation time, separately. Delete language that allows employees to take legal action if they interfere or retaliate against their employer. Use of earned sick leave. Business groups want the state to handle these claims.
In an online conference with the media Thursday morning, leaders of Michigan’s business advocacy groups said the new law is a dramatic change for employers and reduces workers’ flexibility when it comes to taking paid leave. . They argue that the changes they seek are more achievable demands for employers and preserve some of the expanded paid time off entitlements.
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“Ultimately, we feel like the requests we’re getting are very focused on common sense things,” said Wendy Block, senior vice president of business advocacy for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. said. “It aligns more closely with what employers are currently doing in terms of paid sick leave policies and vacation policies.”
Lindsay Case Palsrock, vice president of public policy for Michigan Business Leaders, said organizations are fine with providing 72 hours of paid leave, but are concerned about how the new law will work in practice. He said there was.
“We are here on behalf of employers saying that if 72 hours is a legally recognized benefit, we would like to be able to offer it, potentially from the beginning of this year. “The processes that occur over time will become more complex and perhaps less employee-friendly,” she said.
Since the Michigan Supreme Court’s July ruling, neither chamber of the Michigan Legislature has taken up legislation addressing pending changes to the state’s minimum wage and paid sick leave laws. Business groups are calling on lawmakers to ease impending changes to both minimum wage levels and paid sick leave policies ahead of them taking effect on February 21, 2025, but unions and petition organizers say He praised the court’s decision and urged parliamentarians to accept the court’s decision. The changes will be performed as originally intended.
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A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, said in an email that Brinks is focused on “listening to and gathering information from affected individuals and groups.” Ta.
Previously, the office of House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, took a similar line when asked about introducing legislation to address pending changes to Michigan’s minimum wage law. Tate spokeswoman Amber McCann said on Sept. 18, “The chair has asked caucus members to seek input from voters on what action, if any, they should take in response to the court ruling.” We encouraged them to collect them.” “Adopt and amend,” but no decisions have been made regarding potential legislative action. ”
Joshua Langer, vice president of government affairs for the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber met with representatives from both leaders’ offices and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office to discuss the new law.
Wednesday was the final voting day for the House of Representatives ahead of the Nov. 5 election. Lawmakers have taken up a series of bills related to unionizing home-based workers, improving reading comprehension in public schools and tax incentives, but bills related to minimum wage and paid sick leave have so far stalled in the House. There has been no movement in the Senate.
Contact Alpin Lobo: alobo@freepress.com
