Latest news with #paidSickLeave
The Independent
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Nebraska Republicans sought to weaken voter-backed paid sick leave. A Democrat helped them do it.
Republicans in the Nebraska Legislature managed to pass a bill that significantly weakens a voter-backed measure requiring employers to offer paid sick leave. And they did it with the help of a Democrat. Backers of the bill overcame a filibuster on Wednesday with the exact number of votes needed — 33 — thanks to the support of a Democrat in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln. Raybould, whose family owns several grocery store chains in the state, was also the main sponsor of another bill that sought to restrict a voter-backed minimum wage law. That bill suffered an unexpected defeat earlier this session when a freshman lawmaker failed to show up for a vote on it. Raybould's attempt to attach it to the paid sick leave measure on Wednesday also failed. By a nearly 3-to-1 margin, Nebraska voters in November approved a ballot measure that requires all Nebraska employers to provide at least some paid sick leave to their employees. The ballot language, which had been set to take effect Oct. 1, required businesses to provide workers with one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to seven days at businesses with more than 20 employees. Employees at smaller businesses could accrue up to five days' worth of paid sick leave a year. The leave could be used for the employees themselves or to tend to a family member. But the bill passed Wednesday and expected to be signed into law by Gov. Jim Pillen carves out exceptions. It allows businesses to withhold paid sick leave from 14- and 15-year-olds, as well as from temporary and seasonal agricultural workers. Businesses with 10 or fewer employees would not need to provide paid sick leave at all. More concerning, opponents say, is a provision that strips from the new law the ability of workers to sue employers who retaliate against them for using paid sick leave. The removal of that enforcement language would 'essentially gut' the paid leave measure, said Sen. John Cavanaugh, who opposed the bill. Cavanaugh reiterated that paid sick leave received nearly 75% approval — more support than most lawmakers got at the polls. 'The voters wanted this more than they wanted you here,' he said, addressing fellow lawmakers. 'This is about respect for the will of the voters.' Nebraska joins other states leading efforts to counter voter-approved policies on everything from paid sick leave to abortion. Some states are seeking to limit the voter initiative process itself, leading to pushback from voters. Supporters of the Nebraska paid sick leave rollback say they're seeking to protect both workers and businesses. Raybould has said throughout debate this session that teens under 16 will find themselves unable to get an after-school or summer job without changes to both minimum wage and paid sick leave measures. She says no one will hire teens with limited experience and federal child labor restrictions at $15 per hour — the minimum wage set to take effect Jan. 1. 'We have to find that balance between business and labor,' Raybould said during debate Wednesday. 'We have to be competitive, and we have to be flexible.' Others went further, with Republican Sen. Mike Jacobson saying that government telling businesses what wages and benefits they must offer employees 'threatens democracy.' If employees don't like the terms of their employment, he said, it's incumbent on them to find a different job. Sen. Robert Hallstrom is another Republican who supported restrictions on both the minimum wage and paid sick leave. He said the Legislature has the right to make changes to voter-backed measures, asking if young or seasonal workers who would be affected by those changes would 'rather have a $10-an-hour job or no job?' The Paid Sick Leave for Nebraskans coalition, which was behind the effort to get paid sick leave on the Nebraska ballot last year, said the bill passed Wednesday would remove paid sick leave protections for 140,000 workers in the state. 'Despite thousands of Nebraskans demanding that our Legislature honor the clear will of voters, 33 senators ignored those calls yet again today," the coalition said in a statement. "It will prevent thousands of Nebraskans from being able to access the good life.'
Associated Press
29-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Nebraska Republicans sought to weaken voter-backed paid sick leave. A Democrat helped them do it.
Republicans in the Nebraska Legislature managed to pass a bill that significantly weakens a voter-backed measure requiring employers to offer paid sick leave. And they did it with the help of a Democrat. Backers of the bill overcame a filibuster on Wednesday with the exact number of votes needed — 33 — thanks to the support of a Democrat in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln. Raybould, whose family owns several grocery store chains in the state, was also the main sponsor of another bill that sought to restrict a voter-backed minimum wage law. That bill suffered an unexpected defeat earlier this session when a freshman lawmaker failed to show up for a vote on it. Raybould's attempt to attach it to the paid sick leave measure on Wednesday also failed. By a nearly 3-to-1 margin, Nebraska voters in November approved a ballot measure that requires all Nebraska employers to provide at least some paid sick leave to their employees. The ballot language, which had been set to take effect Oct. 1, required businesses to provide workers with one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to seven days at businesses with more than 20 employees. Employees at smaller businesses could accrue up to five days' worth of paid sick leave a year. The leave could be used for the employees themselves or to tend to a family member. But the bill passed Wednesday and expected to be signed into law by Gov. Jim Pillen carves out exceptions. It allows businesses to withhold paid sick leave from 14- and 15-year-olds, as well as from temporary and seasonal agricultural workers. Businesses with 10 or fewer employees would not need to provide paid sick leave at all. More concerning, opponents say, is a provision that strips from the new law the ability of workers to sue employers who retaliate against them for using paid sick leave. The removal of that enforcement language would 'essentially gut' the paid leave measure, said Sen. John Cavanaugh, who opposed the bill. Cavanaugh reiterated that paid sick leave received nearly 75% approval — more support than most lawmakers got at the polls. 'The voters wanted this more than they wanted you here,' he said, addressing fellow lawmakers. 'This is about respect for the will of the voters.' Nebraska joins other states leading efforts to counter voter-approved policies on everything from paid sick leave to abortion. Some states are seeking to limit the voter initiative process itself, leading to pushback from voters. Supporters of the Nebraska paid sick leave rollback say they're seeking to protect both workers and businesses. Raybould has said throughout debate this session that teens under 16 will find themselves unable to get an after-school or summer job without changes to both minimum wage and paid sick leave measures. She says no one will hire teens with limited experience and federal child labor restrictions at $15 per hour — the minimum wage set to take effect Jan. 1. 'We have to find that balance between business and labor,' Raybould said during debate Wednesday. 'We have to be competitive, and we have to be flexible.' Others went further, with Republican Sen. Mike Jacobson saying that government telling businesses what wages and benefits they must offer employees 'threatens democracy.' If employees don't like the terms of their employment, he said, it's incumbent on them to find a different job. Sen. Robert Hallstrom is another Republican who supported restrictions on both the minimum wage and paid sick leave. He said the Legislature has the right to make changes to voter-backed measures, asking if young or seasonal workers who would be affected by those changes would 'rather have a $10-an-hour job or no job?' The Paid Sick Leave for Nebraskans coalition, which was behind the effort to get paid sick leave on the Nebraska ballot last year, said the bill passed Wednesday would remove paid sick leave protections for 140,000 workers in the state. 'Despite thousands of Nebraskans demanding that our Legislature honor the clear will of voters, 33 senators ignored those calls yet again today,' the coalition said in a statement. 'It will prevent thousands of Nebraskans from being able to access the good life.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Prop A repeal awaiting Governor's signature; how it impacts Missourians
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph residents are bracing for potential changes as Missouri moves towards repealing Proposition A. The Proposition, a voter-approved initiative, would have gradually increased the minimum wage and paid sick leave statewide. Passed by 58% of voters in November 2024, Proposition A promised to raise Missouri's minimum wage to $13.75 in 2025 and $15 in 2026, with future increases tied to inflation. It also required employers to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. However, House Bill 567, passed by the Missouri General Assembly on Wednesday, aims to eliminate the sick leave requirement and remove future wage adjustments after 2026. The bill is now awaiting Governor Mike Kehoe's signature. St. Joseph resident, Dakota Allen, said this move from the government doesn't give him much confidence in the current democracy, and that Missourians should stand up to any party that violates voter rights. It's just kind of one of those things that no matter who's in power when they're looking to abuse their power and overturn the will of the people, it's time for us to step up and make sure that they can never do it again," Allen said. Allen said if this repeal is signed by Governor Kehoe, it will be painful for businesses that are looking to attract employees to the state, especially those in higher professions. "We're going to see this all across the board, there's not going to be those guarantees that make our state appealing for employees, and it's just going to become more and more difficult," Allen said. Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Missouri said in an initial repeals conversation to the legislation in April of 2025, that the language in Proposition A was not made clear enough on the ballot. "When voters saw Prop A on the ballot, they were only given a small summary, but behind the summary was eight pages of statutes," Bernskoetter said. "It creates a one-size-fits-all for all businesses to follow and businesses should be able to tailor their workplace policies to meet the needs of their customers and employees." Opponents argue, combining minimum wage increases with paid sick leave mandates in a single ballot measure violates Missouri's constitutional requirement that initiatives address only one subject. In addition, claiming misleading ballot language, particularly regarding the fiscal impact and the scope of exemptions. Sparking backlash from Missourians everywhere, "SAVE OUR SAY rallies will be held across the state on Saturday, May 17, in St. Joseph, Farmington, Blue Springs, St. Louis and many other cities. If signed into law, the repeal will go into effect on August 28, 2025. Until then, businesses must comply with the sick leave requirements and wage timeline outlined in Proposition A.
