Minneapolis City Council passes paid sick leave ordinance

On Behalf of | Jun 15, 2016 | Employee Rights |

People in Minneapolis get sick all the time, and usually, the illness occurs due to circumstances beyond their control. Whether it is cold and flu season, food poisoning or any number of other maladies, there will be times when an employee is too ill to go to work. You may think that paid sick leave is a benefit all employees enjoy, but this is not always the case. Proof in point, an ordinance recently passed by the Minneapolis City Council afforded sick leave to many Minneapolis workers, apparently for the first time

In May, the Minneapolis City Council approved an ordinance that would provide many workers in the city with the right to paid sick leave. Under the ordinance, employers, if they have six or more workers, must give workers the right to accrue up to 48 hours of sick leave, which must be paid. The measure will become effective starting in 2017.

The state legislature has also taken note of the new measure. Proponents of it believe it will help low-income workers, while others think it will harm Minneapolis’s business climate. The governor has lauded the ordinance, claiming it is a good policy and makes common sense.

Many see this ordinance as a step in the right direction for employee rights. Employees who do not have paid sick leave may be unable to afford staying home because they do not get paid while they are sick. This means they could be further harming their health and the health of their coworkers by coming to work sick. Moreover, they could even risk losing their jobs if they do not come to work despite being sick. This is a situation no one should have to face. This ordinance will change that for many Minneapolis workers, providing them with an important benefit that will allow them to take care of their health.

Source: ktsp.com, “Paid Sick Leave Could Be Legislative Issue Next Year,” Tom Hauser, June 10, 2016