On Wednesday, March 13, 2013, Mayor Charlie Hales and the remaining members of the Portland City Council voted in favor of mandatory sick leave. Hales stated “This is justice. This is the right thing to do. It’s a good day for Portland.”
Under this new mandate, employers with five or less employees must provide at least one hour of unpaid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, and employers with six or more employees are required to provide at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
The mandate also requires that a minimum of 40 hours of sick leave is provided per year for employees who work at least 240 hours a year.
The council feels proud about this decision. Commissioner Amanda Fritz has been a strong advocate and supporter of this issue. She stated, “This is a historic moment for human rights in America.” City Commissioner Dan Saltzman stated, “No person should have to choose between their job and taking care of a sick child.”
The city is in the process of crafting specific rules regarding the policy, and will provide $20,000 towards an effort to enforce education of the regulation which will take effect on January 1, 2014.
Sources:
- Portland City Council votes unanimously to approve sick leave policy
- City Council votes 5-0 in favor of mandatory paid sick leave
- Portland City Council passes sick leave ordinance