Austin
Sponsored by

New Sick Leave Ordinance

1,995 Views | 15 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by aTm papi
CivilAg10
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I heard Casar trying to sell this a few weeks ago, but figured it was a pipe dream and nothing would come of it; I was wrong.

Not really interested in this becoming a cloak room thread, but I was curious if anyone has any anecdotal stories for how employers in Austin are gong to approach this. Especially companies who have satellite offices in town and are headquartered elsewhere. The revised draft that was a passed appears to have language requiring incorporating the ordinance to into employee handbooks which seems somewhat unrealistic to enforce.

In the event of a violation, the ordinance says the city can assess a civil penalty. What's to keep a company HQ'd in, say, Colorado from telling the city to pound sand? Is there actually any bite in this ordinance?

Edit: changed enforce to assess
Sandman98
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Classic gesture from the people's republic. Enforcement will be clunky as it is with all overreaches and at a minimum it will be a net negative for employees. Business owners will get that money back some other way as they should.

The Statist council approved it 9-2 without even having an administrative plan. This felt good which is really more important than how it will actually work.
SteveBott
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Seems this is policy not legal. I'm not sure how you enforce it.
rather be fishing
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
The fine for non-compliance is $500. Expect to see several checks for that amount.
evan_aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
No sick notes required. This is basically an ordinance to give employees another 6-8 days of pay.
Keeper of The Spirits
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
From a public health perspective employer should pay sick days and in my opinion should only require a doctors note if they also provide insurance. However, no business should be forced to do this. I'd be happier if the city tracked which companies did and did not provide paid sick leave so I could vote with my dollars.
Martin Cash
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Eleven randomly selected people from ASH would have more sense than the Austin City Council. Thank God I don't live in that asylum.
Habanero Guero
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I've heard there is one employer exempted from this mandate, the City of Austin
wadd96
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
That would not shock me.
All the God's, all the Heavens, all the Hells are within you.
rugger74
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Poorly designed plan that will probably end up in court as many small companies, especially restaurants, will bite back on this idea.
MPython43
How long do you want to ignore this user?
If the $500 fine is for ignoring the policy in general, Austin will simply get a $500 extortion check from me. If it's $500 per employee, that's a different story.

The bummer is I see this as hurting my employees. We let our people earn up to 13 annual PTO days at milestones over their first 2 years. This is pretty unusual in our industry. We have a fairly high wash out rate over the first 6 months. In order to accomodate added PTO for all these newer people, and extra time for our people before they've earned in at the 1 year mark, I foresee us having to shorten the total amount we offer to the more loyal members of our team. We are a service industry gig that has to have a body in place to meet our obligations to our customers, so the pool of days is a finite one to account for coverage. I hate that this will potentially take earned PTO away from my good people as this sorts itself out.
TRD-Ferguson
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
The city should keep their nose out of private business. We provide 2 weeks of vacation in the first year, 3 weeks in 3rd year and 4 weeks in 5th year. You can carry over 1 1/2 of your total days if unused. All federal holidays, 2 personal days, Good Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day. Employees earn 6 hours of sick leave per month and it carries over and accumulates so that you have full pay during the disability plan elimination period. 20 person small service industry business. We have virtually no turnover. People enjoy their jobs and perform well. Yet the city wants to tell me how to better run our successful 63 year old business????
evan_aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Told by people who have likely zero experience running a small private business.
TRADUCTOR
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Typhoid Mary says you are still not safe from the sick working in the food industry.
Harkrider 93
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Countyline owner was saying that it would cost him around $150k per location. I didn't hear the rest on how he came up with that number, but he did say it is likely to mean he cuts benefits elsewhere for the employees.
Sandman98
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Imagine the fraud and abuse. Average employee with little motivation wants paid days off without using PTO. Who is in charge of proving that they're not sick? The boss or HR is now charged with collecting Dr. notes like they works at a public school?

I'm sure nobody will figure out how to make absense look like a sick day. Leaves will spike around SXSW and ACL to be sure.
aTm papi
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Councilman Casar is a joke. He's the one who headlined the ordinance.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.