The Austin City Council is voting on an ordinance that would require ALL of Austin's 30,000 private sector employers to provide up to 64 hours of paid sick leave for any employee (including interns, temporary workers, part and full-time employees). Failure to do so could cause a $500 fine on the employer for each instance, with no ability to appeal. Meanwhile the City of Austin has exempted themselves from this requirement and does not currently offer paid sick leave to all their employees. Yet any person who mows your lawn, babysits your kids, or comes into Austin from another branch of your company for a 2-week project who works at least 80 hours of work in a calendar year is eligible.
We are asking YOU to get involved by reaching out to all the City Council members to urge them to postpone the vote and allow an opportunity to better understand the impact of this ordinance. The timeline is beyond worrisome – leaving only a few days until the proposed City Council vote. An ordinance of this magnitude should be given ample time and consideration for full public understanding and a thorough economic study to determine the ordinance’s impact on businesses and the city budget.