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What I've Been Reading This Week


As a result of several major developments out of New Jersey as of late, I think it it only makes sense to have an article dealing with the state's new paid sick leave bill lead off this post.  The one thing I am curious to see is whether other states follow New Jersey's lead and attempt to pass similar legislation.  As this first article addresses, the impact (both positive and negative) of this new paid sick leave bill could be telling as to whether any states do indeed follow suit.

As always, below are a couple articles that caught my eye this week.



After New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a paid sick leave bill into law last week, attention has now turned to the impact this bill will have on employers and employees alike in the state.  Although the law will not go into effect for about 180 days, now is the time for employers to ensure they are in compliance.  As Jennifer Fischer and Mark Konkel write, this new bill preempts all existing municipal and county sick leave laws already in place.  However, for employers that are already offering paid leave that is accrued at a rate equal to or greater than the new legislation passed, they will be considered to be in compliance.  In regard to exceptions/exemptions, they are relatively narrow:  Certain small businesses (with less than 10 employees) can "cap" the number of hours an employee can accrue at 40; and per diem health care workers and construction workers are exempt if they are covered by a collective bargaining agreement.


Vote to Raise Minimum Wage in Connecticut Falls Short in State Legislature

Christine Stuart at CT New Junkie wrote earlier this week that efforts to raise the hourly minimum wage rate in the state from $10.10/hour (the current rate) to $12/hour by 2020 fell short in the Connecticut Legislature.  There was widespread concern over whether supporters of the bill would have enough votes to approve the legislation if the bill made it out of committee.  In fact, one State Senator, Joan Hartley (a Democrat), indicated she would vote for a bill that would raise the hourly minimum wage to $15/hour so that the measure would make it out of committee but would not vote for its passage on the Senate floor.  Questions arose as to whether she would even support a $12/hour minimum wage bill.  As a result, the measure which would have raised the state's hourly minimum wage rate to $12/hour by 2020 did not even make it to a vote in either chamber.  This comes on the heels of a similar bill in 2016 that failed to garner enough support to become law.  Perhaps advocates of a minimum wage hike will re-group and try again in 2020??

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