The next two years are going to be different.
But they always are. New legislative leadership brings new priorities; a changing of the guard. Everyone around Lansing is adjusting to the changes and getting to know new faces. Things have been moving faster than normal – skipping committee hearings, discharging bills to the floor for same-day votes – and the cadence of past procedure we’re familiar with has largely disappeared.
With a slim majority that could disappear later this year, there is no time to spare to accomplish a long wish list of policy changes. It’s uncertain if things will continue this way, but there are several concerning policies we’re watching closely, and hope will at least receive more thoughtful consideration.
Restrictive scheduling
HB 4035 would require employers with two or more locations and 100 or more employees in the retail, hotel/motel, or food service industry to follow various scheduling standards. The bill includes requirements to provide a written schedule available to all employees 14 days in advance, predict expected monthly hours, compensate employees for changed/canceled shifts, require written notice/consent for all changes, and would require employers to keep records for seven years. It would create an unrealistic and impossible standard, force understaffing, and hurt employees who want flexibility to change schedules and pick up extra shifts.
Local wage/benefit ordinances
Bills have been introduced in both chambers (HB 4237 and SB 171) to undo a law MRA championed in 2015 that has prevented a patchwork of local rules on the wages and benefits businesses offer employees. The current law gives sole authority to the state on issues related to scheduling requirements, minimum wage, hiring practices, paid leave, training, discrimination, and setting regulations over how remedies for wage, hour, or benefit disputes occur. Overturning this law could result in a difficult array of local rules that make it harder for employees to work at multiple locations and businesses to operate in different jurisdictions.
If retailers haven’t been paying attention, it’s time to speak up to ensure your business and employees aren’t negatively impacted.
