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Rep. VanWoerkom voted in support of a plan that cements commonsense paid sick leave policies to protect Michigan workers and local job providers on Thursday.
House Bill 4002 guarantees all workers have access to sick time while clarifying the rigid, complex rules that were originally set to take effect through a previous Michigan Supreme Court ruling.
VanWoerkom’s vote comes on the heels of another bipartisan agreement he voted for on Wednesday to preserve the tip credit – a crucial source of income for many workers, including in the service industry, that allows them to make even more than they would through a higher minimum wage.
As part of the agreement, Senate Bill 8 maintains the tip credit at 38% through 2025 while implementing annual increases, eventually capping at 50% of the minimum wage in 2031.
VanWoerkom and House Republicans have prioritized these issues since the previous legislative term after listening to countless workers and small business owners who expressed concern about their livelihoods. The first bills that were introduced in the House after Republicans assumed majority addressed the Court’s short-sighted decision, moved to keep the tip credit and made practical changes to the one-size-fits-all mandates for paid sick leave.
“I’ve been an active participant in this conversation with employers and employees throughout the lakeshore area who have faced the possibility of devastating rules and regulations that would destroy jobs, raise prices on consumers, and force many small businesses to close,” said VanWoerkom (R-Norton Shores). “Sadly, due to several months of Democrat inaction under their trifecta last term, time has not been on our side and the deadline set by the Supreme Court is now upon us. This bipartisan compromise is the best move at this juncture to protect the livelihoods of workers and viability of their employers.”
The Court’s ruling created a one-size-fits-all mandate for paid sick leave. VanWoerkom and House Republicans worked for compromise that respects the fact that larger businesses operate differently and have more resources than those with just a few employees – and that job providers should be able to choose leave policies that work best for them and their workers. The advancing legislation also reins in “no-call, no-show” leave that would routinely leave small businesses understaffed and overwhelmed.
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