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One to Keep An Eye On: $15/Hour Minimum Wage & Paid Leave (Massachusetts)


As with many employment and labor law related cases (and bills) that are being litigated around the country, there are always a few that stand out.  This is one to keep an eye on.


At the end of July, Raise Up Massachusetts announced it would push to put both a $15/hour minimum wage proposal and a paid leave requirement on the ballot next November.

Under the minimum wage proposal, the state's minimum wage would rise to $15/hour by 2022.  The current hourly wage rate, $11/hour, would increase by $1 every year until it reached $15.  Thereafter, the hourly wage rate would increase automatically at the same rate as the cost of living in the state.

In regard to the paid leave plan, workers in the state would receive up to 16 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child or an ill or injured family member (or for needs arising from a family member's military service).  The benefit would be capped at $1,000.00/week.  Of course, the question is always how this leave would be paid.  Under the current proposal, the leave would be paid from a trust fund which would be paid by employers (though employers could require their employees to pay up to half of the required contribution).

Although we are still about 15 months away from voters having the chance to vote on these proposals, this is one to keep a close eye on.  Massachusetts, a rather progressive state, should be applauded for taking paid leave one step further by potentially offering leave for needs arising from a family member's military service.  I cannot recall many paid leave plans which include that provision.  As for the minimum wage proposal, it is certainly possible that could face harsher criticism...but given the successful passage of several minimum wage bills last November, perhaps minimum wage will not be a taboo ballot initiative next year in Massachusetts.


For additional information:  https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2017/07/31/group-to-push-for-expanded-paid-leave-15-minimum.html

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