A recent change in employment law Dallas TX means contractors no longer have to worry about staying home from work sick and not receiving pay for it. Hundreds of thousands of American workers are now eligible for paid sick leave after President Obama signed an executive order in September of 2015 that forces companies who contract with the government to provide this benefit to their employees.
What This Employment Law Dallas TX Change Means for Workers
This new change in employment law means that firms that employ government contractors are required to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, with a maximum of 7 days of paid sick leave per year.
The White House believes that 300,000 American workers who do not receive paid sick leave will now benefit from this new rule, particularly low-wage workers, who are less likely to currently receive any paid sick leave.
The Downside of the Benefits
Not everyone is happy about this new employment law Dallas TX change. Republicans who control Capitol Hill worry that this new measure will raise the cost of doing business and make products and services more expensive. Additionally, this move may only be a drop in the bucket, as it only affects 300,000 of the approximately 44 million Americans who do not currently receive paid sick leave. Some opponents of the measure believe that President Obama has overstepped his legal authority. Consequently, the Chamber of Commerce has threatened lawsuits over the President’s use of executive actions to implement the benefits. The White House admitted it hadn’t yet determined what kind of effect the new rules would cost businesses with federal contracts, but believes that the higher worker retention rates would offset having to pay for the benefits. The White House estimates that the rules will affect government contracts in 2017. The new measure will allow companies bidding for work to include the cost of the paid sick leave into their offers.
This isn’t the only change for contract workers the White House is aiming for; along with the paid sick leave measure, it is also working on changes that would improve work for the contractors, including expanding overtime compensation, raising workers’ minimum wage, and banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Will You Be Affected by the New Employment Law Change?
The legal team of Simon | Paschal are experts in employment and business law. To learn more about employment law Dallas TX, or if you need an attorney that fight for your business and puts you first, contact us today by calling 972-893-9340.
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