The proposed Healthy Families Act is expected to be on the ballot in November.  The proposal would require Ohio employers with 25 or more employees to provide a minimum of seven paid sick days for all full-time employees and paid time off for part-time employees. Under the proposal’s language, full-time is defined as 30 hours per week. It also prohibits the reduction of existing benefits in order to comply with the new mandate, placing substantial financial and administrative burdens on employers. Ohio would be the first state in the country to adopt mandatory paid sick leave.  Currently the only jurisdiction with mandatory sick leave is the city of San Francisco.
 
The Ohio Chamber of Commerce and many other regional chambers of commerce and business oriented organizations oppose the Healthy Families Act.  The Act will impose an additional compliance burden on employers and may force employers to downsize employees, reduce employees’ hours or pass the cost onto the consumer.

 
This article was written by
Linda J. Lawrence
LAWRENCE LAW OFFICE
24 W. William St.
Delaware, OH 43015
740-362-1919
 
This publication is not intended to provide legal advice on specific subjects.  The resolution of legal issues depends upon the specific facts of a particular situation and the laws involved.