Labor unions and liberal progressive front groups have been conducting a petition drive to put a mandated paid leave proposal on the Michigan statewide ballot in 2018. Legislation with the same language has been introduced in the state House and Senate.
Michigan Paid Leave Proposal Details:
Under both proposals, employees (including part-time, full-time and temporary workers) working for businesses with 10 or more employees would accrue a minimum of one hour of “earned sick time” (paid sick leave) for every 30 hours worked. Employees would be entitled to use 72 hours in a year unless the employer selects a higher limit. For businesses with less than 10 employees working during a given week, employees would accrue a minimum of one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Employees would be entitled to use 40 hours in a year unless the employer selects a higher limit. If the employee uses more than 40 hours, the employee would be entitled to use an additional 32 hours of unpaid earned sick time. Employees would be entitled to use paid leave prior to using unpaid leave.
If paid leave advocates are successful in getting this proposal passed on the ballot in the 2018 November elections, or if the same legislation is passed into law, Michigan would have one of the most stringent paid sick leave employer mandates in the country.
Conventional wisdom would indicate that, while the ballot effort might succeed, the legislative effort should be “dead on arrival” with Republican control of the House, Senate, and Governor’s office. However, it should be noted that President Trump has expressed support for paid leave in his recent message to Congress and this could give cover to those Republicans that might also be tempted to favor such employer mandates. NFIB will be working diligently to see that this does not happen.
