When Alaskans last voted on a minimum wage increase, Measure 3 in 2014, that’s all the ballot measure had in it—a minimum wage increase. But last year’s Measure 1 packed in more.

“A minimum wage increase has been traditionally been pretty popular among voters,” said Corey Dunn, an attorney representing employers with Littler Mendelson in Anchorage.  “In some ways, perhaps, the minimum wage portion of Measure 1 sort of carried it across the threshold … some voters and some small business owners who perhaps supported Ballot Measure 1because they had the minimum wage piece of it in the forefront of their mind were somewhat surprised after it passed to find out that it also included other provisions that perhaps people weren’t more familiar with at the time they voted in favor of it.”

Those other surprise provisions included requiring paid sick leave and limiting certain workplace mandatory meetings. Dunn examined all three components of Measure 1 in an hour presentation NFIB Alaska arranged for its members on May 1.

The minimum wage provision is straightforward. Hourly pay goes up to $13 starting July 1; $14 on July 1, 2026; and $15 on July 1, 2027. After that future increases will be tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Anchorage.

Dunn called the paid sick leave component of the new law, “The most complex part of the statute. It’s a part of the statute that business owners are going to want to spend the biggest part of their time making sure that they’re compliant, because there are some nuances.”

Personal leave time, caretaking leave time, a whole day off or just a half day, how to treat a doctor’s note, any adjustments for seasonal or part-time employees were some of the nuances Dunn talked about in his presentation.

Dunn called the employer-employee communication component of the new law as “a little less burdensome than the paid leave section,” and gave examples of communication on a “political matter” and a “religious matter.”

NFIB Alaska thanked Corey Dunn for taking the time to inform – not provide legal advice — our members what they need to know about their next big compliance headache. Providing the most valuable and timely information on small business issues is one of the bigger benefits of membership in NFIB. Click the arrow below to hear the presentation.