Elimination of Florida local sick time laws: Opponents ask, "What's Next?"
Posted October 28, 2013 08:05 am
TALLAHASSEE, FL -
Just months after the Florida legislature passed a state
law (HB 655) that preempted any local laws requiring
employers to offer earned sick time, a task force formed
by the state senate is meeting to revisit the issue of
employer-provided benefits, including the right of local
governments to establish requirements.
Andy Madtes, president of the South Florida AFL-CIO and a member of the task force, said he's concerned that lawmakers could be looking to impose broader restrictions on local governments.
"My concern - in trying to get my arms around really what are we trying to accomplish with the task force - the question really then becomes, can they go beyond just the sick days?"
The Florida AFL-CIO represents approximately 500 local labor unions and labor councils, representing over 900,000 workers, retirees and their families in Florida. They are construction workers, health care professionals, classroom teachers, agricultural workers, hotel and restaurant employees, transportation workers, firefighters, law enforcement and correctional officers. Wherever people work in Florida, across a broad range of trades and professions, you will find AFL-CIO members.
Madtes said legislators could pass laws that would
pre-empt local requirements regarding a living wage or
other pro-worker regulations.
In Florida, the AFL-CIO says that between 40 and 60
percent of workers don't have earned sick time,
particularly those who work in such service industries
as food service and hospitality. According to Rich
Templin, legislative and political director for the
Florida AFL-CIO, that's bad for all Floridians, since it
encourages people to work even when they're sick.
"It's a major public health issue, because most of this
is taking place in the service industry that comes into
contact with people."
More than 50,000 Orange County voters tried to place the
earned sick time measure on the ballot for last year,
but the County Commission voted to keep it off.
Following that, a three-judge panel ordered it to be put
on the 2014 ballot, but the new state law now preempts
the local vote.
Templin said that not having access to earned sick time
forces Florida workers to make a tough choice.
"That means when they're sick or their families are
sick, they have to choose between coming to work; not
going to work and receiving no pay, which most of them
can't afford; or not going to work, caring for
themselves or their family members, and losing their
jobs."
Next month, the task force will meet for the final time,
then make recommendations to the state senate about
possible changes. Opponents of local regulations say
there needs to be statewide uniformity in the laws.
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