NEWS RELEASE
STATE REP. PARKER FAIRBAIRN
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State Rep. Parker Fairbairn cast a key vote Thursday to protect small businesses and employees from unreasonable and, potentially, business-closing state mandates set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday.
In a bipartisan vote, the House passed a compromise plan – House Bill 4002 – to protect them from unrealistic sick time rules while still ensuring workers have access to leave-time when they need it.
“Though I wish it could have been accomplished before we reached the eleventh hour, I’m pleased that we were able to forge a compromise that will keep so many of our small businesses from having to cut staff or close all together,” said Fairbairn, R-Harbor Springs.
“I’d argue that Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula would have been especially hard hit, had we not been able to get this legislation through, and I feel as though the strong and persistent voices of the Northern Caucus played a significant role in getting it done.”
HB 4002 guarantees all workers have access to sick time, while simplifying the complex and overly strict rules that were set to go into effect, had this legislation not been passed. The new plan allows employers of all sizes to choose the sick time plan that works best for their businesses and to customize policies regarding “no call, no show” incidents, while safeguarding their livelihoods from baseless lawsuits and other arbitrary attacks.
A plan to protect tipped workers, Senate Bill 8, which passed the House Wednesday, maintains the tip credit at 38 per cent through 2025 while implementing annual increases, eventually reaching 50 per cent of the minimum wage in 2031. The plan also strengthens penalties for employers who fail to fairly compensate their employees.
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