Lawmakers, organizations react to sick time, tipped wage passage
passed with amendments, blocking 2018 ballot measures that would have required businesses with 10 or more employees to provide up to 72 hours of paid sick leave a year, and smaller businesses to provide 40 hours. It was tie-barred with , which preserves the tipped wage for restaurant workers and bartenders, also passed. It raises the standard minimum wage to $15 by 2027, and tipped wages up to half of the standard.
Lawmakers and other interest groups are speaking out after the vote, with some calling it an imperfect solution—and some saying the measures are preferable to those that would have gone into effect otherwise.
Here's what they are saying:
'Michiganders should be able to care for themselves and their loved ones when they are sick without fear of jeopardizing their wages or losing their jobs. This legislation was thoughtfully crafted from extensive discussions held with workers and businesses alike and significantly improves earned sick leave access and Michigan's national standing in providing it.
State Sen. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing)
'Emergencies and illnesses are a part of life, and our core mission with this legislation is to help Michiganders sleep at night knowing that there is a reasonable amount of cushion for them when the unpredictable happens. This bill is informed by the people of Michigan and negotiated in good faith across bipartisan lines, and in years to come, other states will be modeling their own laws on what we passed today.'
Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids)
'This is not the plan we drew up, but it's the best move we can make to ensure our small business owners and tipped workers are protected. The other side didn't want to compromise on anything, and they were willing to let countless Michiganders who are struggling to stay afloat lose their jobs. House Republicans were not going to stand around and let that happen. Owning a small business is hard enough without government red tape. As a small business owner myself, I understand how narrow the margins are, and the kinds of sacrifices owners make just to stay afloat. The negotiated plan is a necessary stopgap for what we were facing. Given the alternative, I hope businesses can breathe a bit easier on Friday morning.'
State Rep. Ron Robinson (R-Utica)
'This isn't a fairy-tale deal where everyone got exactly what they wanted, but this is a workable solution and far better than what was going to take place if the Legislature chose to do nothing. Our hospitality industry and countless small businesses would have faced devastating consequences had the Legislature not acted. Business owners and workers from across the state made clear what these extreme new mandates would have meant for them: In the best-case scenario, many servers would have taken a pay cut and businesses would have had to lay people off. The worst-case scenario was countless businesses closing their doors for good. I am happy we were able to negotiate a deal — though waiting until the last second is far from an effective or preferred way to legislate. My Republican colleagues and I pushed for Democratic leadership to take this issue seriously for months, to no avail, but were ultimately able to lead negotiations and force a deal to be put on the table. In the end, we were able to get it done and send a bipartisan agreement to the governor's desk, where I hope to see it signed into law this evening to avoid the looming economic disaster.'
State Sen. Roger Hauck (R-Mt. Pleasant)
'While the legislation we've passed today is not the perfect solution, it is a better outcome than allowing the Michigan Supreme Court's extreme sick leave policy to go into effect. In the coming year, there are many issues facing small businesses that need to be addressed. I will continue my fight to limit regulation, stop reckless government spending, and prevent higher taxes.'
State Sen. Michele Hoitenga (R-36)
'Disaster averted. After months of Democrat inaction, Republicans led the way in passing these critical reforms to preserve the tipped wage, help keep family restaurants across Michigan open, and save the jobs and livelihoods of tens of thousands of hospitality workers. These measures will also put in place a flexible leave time solution that benefits Michigan workers without imposing a one-size-fits-all big-government burden on struggling small businesses. Doing nothing was never a responsible option. While no compromise is perfect, this plan puts Michigan workers and small businesses first — instead of out-of-state special interest groups.
State Sen. Joseph Bellino (R-Monroe)
'Last week, I voted to preserve Michigan's tipped credit, and tonight, we completed the final piece of the puzzle by approving a bipartisan solution on changes to the earned sick leave proposal. Over the last several months, thousands of restaurant workers and small business owners have voiced their dismay with the overbearing new mandates set to take effect on February 21st and called on their elected officials to come up with a solution. Senate Republicans led negotiations on both reforms and were able to force changes that acknowledged the concerns of people in every one of our districts and ultimately prevent the economic disaster these radical new laws would have caused. What we ended up with was a bipartisan compromise that weighed concerns from both employees and employers while fighting to keep jobs in Michigan and helping small businesses keep their doors open. The nature of a compromise means not everyone got everything they wanted, but everyone did get a chance to make their voices heard and no one left the negotiating table empty-handed. This solution isn't perfect, but it does protect our businesses from out-of-state interests, offers flexibility to adapt to policy changes, and maintains employee benefits without driving mom-and-pop shops out of business.'
State Sen. Michael Webber (R-9)
'We had months and months and months to do this, yet here we are at the eleventh hour rushing to get this done. Issues of this magnitude deserve significant consideration, and Democratic leadership kicking the can down the road not only pushed this issue to the last minute, but it also sent a message to the people who asked their lawmakers to do something that their concerns weren't a top priority. I was happy to see the tip credit get the attention it deserved late last week, but business owners, by and large, are far more concerned with what the overbearing sick leave changes would have meant for them. Because of that, I made my position clear: I would not support any proposals without a reform to the sick time law. Business owners in my district made their concerns abundantly clear and my vote was going to reflect that. While I am disappointed with the timeline of these changes, we were able to finalize a bipartisan agreement that brought everyone to the table. The deal wasn't perfect, but what I can guarantee is that the solution we reached is far better than what would have happened had the Legislature chosen not to act. I'll be patiently waiting for the governor's signature this evening. I hope she chooses to join the bipartisan deal and do her part to prevent the economic devastation these new laws would have undoubtedly caused.'
State Sen. John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs)
'This solution is far from perfect, but it's better than the alternative, which would have sent our businesses over a cliff. We had two options: let bad policies take effect and watch small businesses get carried to hell in a handbasket, or step in with a plan that gives them a fighting chance. This deal isn't ideal, but it keeps businesses afloat and protects the livelihoods of hardworking people, small business owners and their employees. Waiting until the last minute to fix this mess put a lot of people on edge. While this isn't the solution any of us would have drawn up in a perfect world, it at least gives our businesses a way forward instead of pushing them into chaos. That's especially important in my district, where bad policies that make it harder to run a business don't just hurt local employers — they send them packing just a few miles across the border into Ohio. We can't afford to keep making Michigan a less competitive place to work and do business.'
State Rep. William Bruck (R-30)
'Job providers across Michigan can breathe a little easier after the Michigan Legislature passed important fixes just under the Feb. 21 deadline to the onerous Earned Sick Time Act and minimum wage laws. The policy put in place by virtue of a judicial activist approach by the Michigan Supreme Court would have quite simply devastated Michigan's economy. However, we have long been optimistic that a bipartisan mix of votes existed in the House and Senate to make these laws more workable and implementable. While a paid leave mandate and higher minimum wage may sound good on paper, the proposals as written were fraught with ambiguities, administrative challenges and unintended consequences that would have led to businesses closing and jobs being lost. We appreciate Speaker Hall's leadership on this important issue as he ensured negotiating a compromise was kept at the forefront of policy priorities. We are pleased by the willingness of policymakers from both sides of the aisle to listen and find more feasible solutions that work for businesses and employees alike.'
Wendy Block, senior vice president of business advocacy, Michigan Chamber of Commerce
'This plan is a common-sense win for Michigan's small businesses, restaurant workers, and economy. Servers and bartenders made it clear they want to keep the tip credit, and we heard them loud and clear. This legislation ensures they can continue earning strong wages while also giving small businesses the stability they need to thrive. This should never have come down to the last minute, but I'm glad we were able to come together and get it done. We fought to make sure Michigan's workforce is protected, small businesses can keep their doors open, and families don't lose their livelihoods due to reckless policies. This bipartisan solution does just that.'
State Rep. Sarah Lightner (R-45)
'My House Republican colleagues and I made this issue our main priority to begin the term, introducing legislation to protect small businesses before we did anything else. While the bills we passed this evening ensure Michigan's small business community avoids disaster, we have a far-diminished restoration of reasonable wage and paid leave requirements because of the Senate Democrats. I've said before that the Supreme Court-mandated law changes were not supported by the voters, their elected representatives, or anyone in the small business community, so it makes no sense to me that Democrats would try to retain so much of those mandates. As frustrating as it is that they would not listen to the voice of the people, I'm glad we were at least able to get a deal done to prevent disaster thanks to Republicans' consistent efforts.'
State Rep. Jason Woolford (R-Howell)
'This is a common-sense solution that puts workers first while recognizing the challenges our small businesses face. Servers, bartenders, and restaurant owners told us loud and clear that they wanted to keep the tipping system intact, and we listened. At the same time, we made sure employees can take needed time off without placing an impossible burden on job providers. This is about fairness — fairness for the workers who rely on tips, fairness for the small businesses that keep our communities thriving, and fairness for every employer trying to provide good jobs while keeping their doors open. I'm glad we could come together on a responsible, bipartisan plan that works for everyone.'
State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz (R-Jackson)
'I am going to be real frank and direct here — the earned sick leave and minimum wage legislation does not go far enough to deliver the relief that Michiganders deserve and need. The policy falls short of giving folks — many of whom live paycheck to paycheck — a fair sick time policy and solid worker protections. House Republicans refused to consider pro-worker changes supported by myself and Mothering Justice, the organization that has fought this fight for the working people of Michigan since day one.For instance, as passed, the policy takes away worker's right to sue an employer if they screw over the employee — this lacks the teeth needed to give workers necessary tools to protect themselves. I remain committed to fighting for hardworking Michiganders — the very people who keep this state strong — and will never stop being in their corner. The fight is not over.'
State Rep. Tonya Myers Phillips (D-Detroit)
'Workers and small businesses should be allowed to have paid leave options that work for them. The Michigan Supreme Court's ruling from last summer would have imposed a rigid, one-size-fits-all mandate on job providers no matter how big or small they are, and some businesses actually would have had to offer worse leave options with what the Court decided. These reforms will provide clarity and cut red tape so family-owned businesses can focus on serving their customers and supporting their hardworking employees. House Republicans led the charge to restore the tipped wage for restaurant workers and fix the sick time law for our workers and small businesses. After months of inaction last term, it was time for the Legislature to come together and listen to those who were going to be impacted by the Court's ruling once it became effective on Feb. 21. It was time to deliver solutions so that jobs weren't lost and local businesses that have been in our communities for decades didn't have to close for good. These compromises aren't perfect, but heading off the absolute chaos that would have been caused had the Court's ruling gone into effect is a big win for workers, businesses and our economy.'
State Rep. Bill G. Schuette (R-Midland)
'Negotiations have resulted in a bicameral, bipartisan compromise that will incrementally increase wages and earned sick time for most of Michigan's workers — but this is just one small step in the bigger picture of providing workers what they deserve. Frankly, our work is not done — too many hardworking people are one flat tire, roof leak or broken arm away from facing a life-changing hardship. A central part of our vision as House Democrats is paving a path to give families and workers more breathing room and day to day stability. We heard loud and clear that people want lower costs and higher wages; they want life to be more affordable; folks need more opportunities to thrive — my Democratic colleagues and I couldn't agree more, which is why we are going to keep showing up every day to deliver results for the people.'
State Rep. Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton)
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