State Senate Looking to Make Big Changes to Wage Hike and Sick Leave

According to the Detroit Free Press, Republicans in the state Senate voted Wednesday to gut two initiatives that would raise the minimum wage to $12 per hour and require employers to provide paid sick time to employees.

The Senate passed the bills on a mostly party-line vote of 26-12.  Under the changes, instead of raising the minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2022, wages would not reach that level until 2030.

Tipped workers such as bartenders and wait staff, who also were supposed to see a $12 hour wage more gradually, will see their pay rise to only $4 per hour by 2030.

Paid sick time, which was supposed to accrue at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, or 72 hours per year, was cut to one hour for every 40 hours worked, or 36 hours per year.