Bill Summary for Bill Number HB09-1210

Date: 03/03/2009

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB09-1210

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND LABOR

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Moved to postpone House Bill 09-1210 indefinitely.	PASS

09:51 AM -- House Bill 09-1210

Representative McGihon, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 09-1210 concerning the requirement that private employers provide paid sick leave to employees. This bill creates the Health Families and Workplaces Act which requires private employers in Colorado with more than 5 employees to provide paid sick leave to their employees. The bill requires:

employers with 6 to 15 employees to provide 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 60 hours worked by an employee up to 40 hours a year; and
employers with more than 15 employees to provide 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked by an employee up to 72 hours a year.

Employees can carry sick leave forward to use in years after it was accrued. Paid sick leave can be used for the employee's own health issues, health issues of an employee's family member, and for absences related to an employee or employee family member being a victim of abuse.

The Division of Labor in the Department of Labor and Employment is required to adopt rules, create notices with information about the bill, monitor compliance and investigate complaints.

09:54 AM

Representative McGihon discussed the benefits of employees having paid sick leave. She talked about the most common industries that do not provide paid sick leave, including day care workers and service workers. Representative McGihon gave the example of a Chipolte employee who went to work sick with the noro virus and infected 500 people because he did not have paid sick days. She also talked about the benefits of parents being allowed to stay home with their sick children. Representative McGihon gave some examples of people who do not receive paid sick days and the problems they have faced. She listed some places that have implemented similar laws, including San Francisco, Washington D.C., and Milwaukee. Representative McGihon talked about the fiscal note and stated that now is not the time for this bill and asked the committee to postpone the bill indefinitely. She advised the committee she would continue working on the issue.

10:08 AM

Representative Stephens said she would be interested in additional information on this issue and the states that have held back from passing similar legislation due to fiscal concerns. Representative McGihon stated that she had given the committee a notebook that provided extensive research on the issue. Representative Stephens acknowledged receiving the materials, but said she would like more information.


BILL:	HB09-1210
TIME:	10:10:25 AM
MOVED:	Soper
MOTION:	Moved to postpone House Bill 09-1210 indefinitely. The motion passed 11-0.
SECONDED:	Gagliardi
		VOTE
	Balmer	Yes
	Bradford	Yes
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Liston	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Ryden	Yes
	Scanlan	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Stephens	Yes
	Casso	Yes
	Rice	Yes

Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS