- Lawmakers are negotiating to make changes to the earned sick time law ahead of the Friday deadline.
- Both chambers passed modifications to the minimum wage on Thursday.
- However, the minimum wage and earned sick time laws are tied-barred, meaning they must passed together in order to become law unless a lawmaker breaks it.
- Your State Capitol reporter Alonna Johnson is in the Capitol bringing updates to our neighbors about the progress on negotiations.
11:55 PM UPDATE: State lawmakers passed a negotiated deal making modifications to the earned sick time and minimum wage laws. On Thursday, a Democratic-led state Senate reached an agreement with the GOP-led state House on who qualifies for earned sick time and its implementation. The deal defines small businesses as having 10 employees or fewer and gives them a grace period until October 1 to implement earned sick time changes. Small businesses will now be required to provide 40 hours of paid sick time, instead of the 72 hours required for all businesses.
The minimum wage modification bills, passed by the state House on Wednesday, will increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2027, while keeping the tipped credit capped at 50% by 2031. The minimum wage will increase to $12.48 on Friday.
The bills still need to be signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to become law.
3:43 UPDATE: Both Chambers are at ease as negotiations continue. Speaker of the House Matt Hall spoke to the press a few moments ago saying that he is hopeful a deal will be made ahead of the midnight deadline but wants to make sure small businesses are safe under the modification bill.
It's a story FOX47 News has been covering since July.
The Michigan Supreme Court ruled the adopt-and-amend process unconstitutional, launching the Wage Act and Earned Sick Time Act to take effect February 21, 2025.
In the Supreme Court ruling, the minimum wage is set to increase to $15 by 2028 and tipped workers will receive 100% of the minimum wage by 2030. Businesses will also need to provide workers with earned sick time, giving them one hour for every 30 worked.
In the months since then, neighbors from all over the state have come to the Capitol, asking for changes to the minimum wage and earned sick time laws.
Bartenders and servers tell FOX47 that the law will prevent people from tipping, leaving them with less pay. Small businesses owners adding that these laws will cause them to raise prices and possibly shut down.
On the other side, we've heard from people who want the increased minimum wage to take effect.
In December, GOP House members left the session floor in protest after previous Speaker of the House Joe Tate, Democrat, did not bring the modification bills up to vote during the lame-duck session.
The State House is now under Republican control, with Republican Speaker of the House Matt Hall.
GOP House lawmakers held a special committee for their modification bills to the laws in January. The House passed the bills with bipartisan support on January 14.
The Democratic-led State Senate also had their version of bills that passed out of committee in early February.
To make any changes, both chambers would now need to negotiate and agree on a deal for the changes. Otherwise, the laws take effect at midnight Friday (late Thursday night).
We will keep you updated with the latest information.
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