2017 -- H 5413 SUBSTITUTE B AS AMENDED

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LC001131/SUB B

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- HEALTHY AND SAFE FAMILIES

AND WORKPLACES ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Regunberg, Craven, Serpa, Maldonado, and Fogarty

     Date Introduced: February 08, 2017

     Referred To: House Labor

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 28 of the General Laws entitled "LABOR AND LABOR

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RELATIONS" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 57

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HEALTHY AND SAFE FAMILIES AND WORKPLACES ACT

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     28-57-1. Short title.

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     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Healthy and Safe Families and

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Workplaces Act."

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     28-57-2. Legislative purpose.

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     The purpose of this chapter is to ensure that employees in Rhode Island can address their

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own health and safety needs, as well as the health and safety needs of their family members, by

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requiring employers to allow employees to earn a minimum level of paid leave time including

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time to care for their family members and allow for ease and uniformity of administration for the

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business community in providing paid leave for their employees.

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     28-57-3. Definitions.

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     As used in the chapter, the following words and terms have the following meanings:

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     (1) "Care recipient" means a person for whom the employee is responsible for providing

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or arranging health or safety related care, including, but not limited to, helping the person obtain

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diagnostic, preventive, routine, or therapeutic health treatment or ensuring the person is safe

 

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following domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

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     (2) "CCAP family child care provider" means a childcare worker as defined in §40-6.6-

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2(2).

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     (3) "Child" means a person as defined in §28-41-34(1).

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     (4) "Department" means the department of labor and training.

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     (5) "Domestic partner" means a party to a civil union as defined in chapter 3.1 of title 15

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or a person who meets the requirements in §§36-12-1(3)(i) through (3)(v) has the same meaning

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as that term is defined in §8-8.2-20.

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     (6) "Domestic violence" means certain crimes when committed by one family or

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household member against another as defined in §12-29-2.

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     (7) "Employee" means any person suffered or permitted to work by an employer, except

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for those not considered employees as defined in §28-12-2. Independent contractors,

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subcontractors, work study participants as described pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §2753.23,

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apprenticeships and interns as defined under FLSA section 3(g) shall not be considered to be

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employees for the purpose of this act.

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     (8) "Employer" means any individual or entity that includes any individual, partnership,

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association, corporation, business trust, or any person or group of persons acting directly or

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indirectly in the interest of an employer, in relation to an employee as defined in §28-12-2, but

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does not include the federal government, and provided that in determining the number of

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employees performing work for an employer as defined in 29 CFR 791.2. of the Federal Fair

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Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. §§201 et seq., the total number of employees in that group shall

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be counted.

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     (9) "Family member" means a child, parent, spouse, mother-in-law, father-in-law,

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grandparents, grandchildren or, domestic partner, sibling, care recipient, or member of the

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employee's household.

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     (10) "Health care professional" means any person licensed under federal or Rhode Island

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law to provide medical or emergency services, including, but not limited to, doctors, nurses, and

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emergency room personnel.

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     (11) "Paid sick leave time" or "paid sick and safe leave time" means time that is

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compensated at the same hourly rate and with the same benefits, including health care benefits, as

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the employee normally earns during hours worked and is provided by an employer to an

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employee for the purposes described in §28-57-5, but in no case shall the hourly wage paid leave

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be less than that provided under §28-12-3.

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     (12) "Parent" means a person as defined in §28-41-34(5) or a person as defined in §28-

 

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41-34(9).

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     (13) ''Seasonal employee'' means a person as defined in 26 CFR 54.4980H-1(a)(38).

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     (14) "Sexual assault" means a crime as defined in §§11-37-2, 11-37-4 or 11-37-6.

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     (15) "Sibling" means a brother or a sister, whether related through half blood, whole

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blood or adoption, a foster sibling, or a step-sibling.

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     (16) "Spouse" means a person as defined in §28-41-34(7).

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     (17) "Stalking" means a crime as described in §§11-59-2 and 11-52-4.2.

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     (18) "Temporary employee" means any person working for, or obtaining employment

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pursuant to an agreement with any employment agency, placement service, or training school or

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center.

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     (19) “Unpaid sick time” is time that is used for the purposes described in §28-57-6 of this

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chapter

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     (20) "Year" means a regular and consecutive twelve (12) month period as determined by

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the employer; except that for the purposes of §28-57-7 of this chapter, "year" means a calendar

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year.

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      28-57-4. Exemptions.

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     (a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to conflict with the provisions of the Food

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Code or the Rules and Regulations pertaining to Reporting Infectious, Environmental and

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Occupational Diseases.

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     (b) Any employer with a paid leave time off policy or paid sick and safe leave policy who

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makes available at least twenty-four (24) hours during calendar year 2018, thirty-two (32) hours

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during calendar year 2019 and forty (40) hours per calendar year thereafter of paid time off or

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paid sick and safe leave time to employees or any employer who offers unlimited paid time off or

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paid sick and safe time is exempt from §28-57-5(a), (b), (c) and (e) of this chapter. Employers

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that provide at least twenty-four (24) hours during calendar year 2018, thirty-two (32) hours

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during calendar year 2019 and forty (40) hours per calendar year thereafter of paid sick or safe

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leave or paid time off that can be used for the purposes consistent with this act at the beginning of

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each benefit year do not need to track accrual, allow any carry-over, or payout.

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     (c) Any employer that employs less than eighteen (18) employees as defined in this act is

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exempt from §28-57-5; provided however, that any such employer shall not take an adverse

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action against an employee of the employer solely based upon the employee’s use of up to

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twenty-four (24) hours during calendar year 2018, thirty-two (32) hours during calendar year

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2019 and forty (40) hours per calendar year thereafter, subject to §28-57-6 and §28-57-10.

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     (d) Any employer is not required to provide any paid sick and/or safe leave time to any

 

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employees that are employed by a municipality or the state.

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     (e) Any employer in the construction industry, as classified as code under the North

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American Industry Classification System, is not required to provide any paid sick and/or safe

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leave time to any employees that work under a collective bargaining agreement until July 1, 2018.

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     (f) Any employee licensed to practice nursing pursuant to chapter 34 of title 5 is not

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subject to the provisions of this chapter if the employee:

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     (1) Is employed by a health care facility;

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     (2) Is under no obligation to work a regular schedule;

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     (3) Works only when he or she indicates that he or she is available to work and has no

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obligation to work when he or she does not indicate availability; and

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     (4) Receives higher pay than that paid to an employee of the same health care facility

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performing the same job on a regular schedule.

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     28-57-5. Accrual of paid sick and safe leave time.

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     (a) All employees employed by an employer of eighteen (18) or more employees in

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Rhode Island shall accrue a minimum of one hour of paid sick and safe leave time for every thirty

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five (35) hours worked up to a maximum of twenty-four (24) hours during the calendar year of

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2018, thirty-two (32) hours during calendar year 2019 and up to a maximum of forty (40) hours

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per year thereafter, unless the employer chooses to provide a higher annual limit in both accrual

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and use. In determining the number of employees who are employed by an employer for

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compensation, all employees defined in §28-57-3(7) shall be counted.

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     (b) Employees who are exempt from the overtime requirements under 29 U.S.C.

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§213(a)(1) of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. §§201 et seq., will be assumed to

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work forty (40) hours in each work week for purposes of paid sick and safe leave time accrual

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unless their normal work week is less than forty (40) hours, in which case paid sick and safe leave

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time accrues based upon that normal work week.

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     (c) Paid sick and safe leave time as provided in this chapter shall begin to accrue at the

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commencement of employment or pursuant to the law's effective date, whichever is later. An

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employer may provide all paid sick and safe leave time that an employee is expected to accrue in

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a year at the beginning of the year.

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     (d) An employer may require a waiting period for newly hired employees of up to ninety

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(90) days. During this waiting period, an employee shall accrue earned sick time pursuant to this

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subchapter or the employer's policy, if exempt under 25-57(4)(b), but shall not be permitted to

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use the earned sick time until after he or she has completed the waiting period.

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     (e) Paid sick and safe leave time shall be carried over to the following calendar year;

 

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however, an employee's use of paid sick and safe leave time provided under this chapter in each

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calendar year shall not exceed twenty-four (24) hours during calendar year 2018 and thirty-two

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(32) hours during calendar year 2019 and forty (40) hours per year thereafter. Alternatively, in

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lieu of carryover of unused earned paid sick and safe leave time from one year to the next, an

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employer may pay an employee for unused earned paid sick and safe leave time at the end of a

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year and provide the employee with an amount of paid sick and safe leave that meets or exceeds

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the requirements of this chapter that is available for the employee's immediate use at the

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beginning of the subsequent year.

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     (f) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as requiring financial or other

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reimbursement to an employee from an employer upon the employee's termination, resignation,

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retirement, or other separation from employment for accrued paid sick and safe leave time that

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has not been used.

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     (g) If an employee is transferred to a separate division, entity or location within the State,

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but remains employed by the same employer as defined in 29 CFR 791.2. of the Federal Fair

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Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. §§201 et seq., the employee is entitled to all paid sick and safe

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leave time accrued at the prior division, entity or location and is entitled to use all paid sick and

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safe leave time as provided in this act. When there is a separation from employment and the

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employee is rehired within one hundred thirty-five (135) days of separation by the same

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employer, previously accrued paid sick and safe leave time that had not been used shall be

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reinstated. Further, the employee shall be entitled to use accrued paid sick and safe leave time and

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accrue additional sick and safe leave time at the re-commencement of employment.

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     (h) When a different employer succeeds or takes the place of an existing employer, all

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employees of the original employer who remain employed by the successor employer within the

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State are entitled to all earned paid sick and safe leave time they accrued when employed by the

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original employer, and are entitled to use earned paid sick and safe leave time previously accrued.

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     (i) At its discretion, an employer may loan sick and safe leave time to an employee in

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advance of accrual by such employee.

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     (j) Temporary employees shall be entitled to use accrued paid sick and safe leave time

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beginning on the one hundred eightieth (180) calendar day following commencement of their

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employment, unless otherwise permitted by the employer. On and after the one hundred eightieth

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(180) calendar day of employment, employees may use paid and safe leave time as it is accrued.

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During this waiting period, an employee shall accrue earned sick time pursuant to this chapter,

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but shall not be permitted to use the earned sick time until after he or she has completed the

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waiting period.

 

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     (k) Seasonal employees shall be entitled to use accrued paid sick and safe leave time

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beginning on the one hundred fiftieth (150) calendar day following commencement of their

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employment, unless otherwise permitted by the employer. On and after the one hundred fiftieth

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(150) calendar day of employment, employees may use paid and sick and safe leave time as it is

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accrued. During this waiting period, an employee shall accrue earned sick time pursuant to this

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chapter, but shall not be permitted to use the earned sick time until after he or she has completed

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the waiting period.

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      28-57-6. Use of paid sick and safe leave time.

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     (a) Paid sick and safe leave time shall be provided to an employee by an employer for:

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     (1) An employee's mental or physical illness, injury or health condition; an employee's

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need for medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury or health

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condition; an employee's need for preventive medical care;

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     (2) Care of a family member with a mental or physical illness, injury or health condition;

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care of a family member who needs medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of a mental or physical

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illness, injury or health condition; care of a family member who needs preventive medical care;

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     (3) Closure of the employee's place of business by order of a public official due to a

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public health emergency or an employee's need to care for a child whose school or place of care

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has been closed by order of a public official due to a public health emergency, or care for oneself

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or a family member when it has been determined by the health authorities having jurisdiction or

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by a health care provider that the employee's or family member's presence in the community may

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jeopardize the health of others because of their exposure to a communicable disease, whether or

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not the employee or family member has actually contracted the communicable disease; or

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     (4) Time off needed when the employee or a member of the employee's family is a victim

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of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

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     (b) Paid sick and safe leave time shall be provided upon the request of an employee. Such

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request may be made orally, in writing, by electronic means or by any other means acceptable to

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the employer. When possible, the request shall include the expected duration of the absence.

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     (c) When the use of paid sick and safe leave time is foreseeable, the employee shall

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provide notice of the need for such time to the employer in advance of the use of the sick and safe

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leave time and shall make a reasonable effort to schedule the use of sick and safe leave time in a

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manner that does not unduly disrupt the operations of the employer.

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     (d) An employer that requires notice of the need to use earned paid sick and safe leave

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time where the need is not foreseeable shall provide a written policy that contains procedures for

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the employee to provide notice. An employer that has not provided to the employee a copy of its

 

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written policy for providing such notice shall not deny earned paid sick and safe leave time to the

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employee based on non-compliance with such a policy.

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     (e) Unless otherwise in conflict with state or federal law or regulations, an employee may

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decide how much sick time to use; provided, however, that an employer may set a minimum

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increment for the use of sick time, not to exceed four (4) hours per day, provided such minimum

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increment is reasonable under the circumstances.

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     (f) For paid sick and safe leave time of more than three (3) consecutive work days, an

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employer may require reasonable documentation that the paid sick and safe leave time has been

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used for a purpose covered by subsection (a) of this section if the employer has notified the

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employee in writing of this requirement in advance of the employee's use of paid sick and safe

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time. An employer may not require that the documentation explain the nature of the illness or the

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details of the domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking unless required by existing

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government regulation or law. Nothing in this provision shall be construed to conflict with

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existing government regulation or law.

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     (1) An employer may require written documentation for an employee’s use of earned sick

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time that occurs within two (2) weeks prior to an employee's final scheduled day of work before

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termination of employment.

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     (2) Documentation signed by a health care professional indicating that paid sick leave

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time is necessary shall be considered reasonable documentation under subsection (a) of this

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section.

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     (3) One of the following, of the employee's choosing, shall be considered reasonable

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documentation of an absence under subsection (a)(4) of this section:

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     (i) An employee's written statement that the employee or the employee's family member

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is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking and that the leave taken was for one of

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the purposes of §28-57-6(a)(4);

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     (ii) A police report indicating that the employee or employee's family member was a

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victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;

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     (iii) A court document indicating that the employee or employee's family member is

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involved in legal action related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; or

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     (iv) A signed statement from a victim and witness advocate affirming that the employee

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or employee's family member is receiving services from a victim services organization or is

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involved in legal action related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

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     (g) An employer's requirements for verification may not result in an unreasonable burden

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or expense on the employee and may not exceed privacy or verification requirements otherwise

 

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established by law.

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     (h) Paid sick and safe leave cannot be used as an excuse to be late for work without an

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authorized purpose.

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     (i) If an employee is committing fraud or abuse by engaging in an activity that is not

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consistent with allowable purposes for paid sick and safe leave in this section, an employer may

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discipline the employee, up to and including termination of employment for misuse of sick leave.

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     (j) If an employee is exhibiting a clear pattern of taking leave on days just before or after

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a weekend, vacation, or holiday, an employer may discipline the employee for misuse of paid sick

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and safe leave, unless the employee provides reasonable documentation that the paid sick and

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safe leave time has been used for a purpose covered by subsection (a) of this section.

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     (k) An employer may not require, as a condition of providing earned paid sick and safe

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time under this chapter, that the employee search for or find a replacement worker to cover the

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hours during which the employee is using paid sick and safe leave time. However, if an employee

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is absent from work for any reason listed in §28-57-6(a) and by mutual consent of the employer

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and the employee, the employee works an equivalent number of additional hours or shifts during

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the same or the next pay period as the hours or shifts not worked due to reasons listed in §28-57-

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6(a), an employee shall not be required to use accrued and earned paid or unpaid sick time for the

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employee's absence during that time period, and the employer shall not be required to pay for sick

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time taken during the time period.

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     28-57-7. Family child care providers.

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     CCAP family childcare providers shall accrue and may use paid sick and safe leave in the

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same manner as do employees under this chapter. The implementation, but not the amount, of

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paid sick and safe leave for CCAP family child care providers shall be a subject of negotiation

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with director of the department of administration under §40-6.6-4. The department of human

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services shall promulgate any necessary regulations to implement the requirement of paid sick

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and safe leave for CCAP family childcare providers. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to

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make CCAP family child care providers' employees of the state for any purpose, including for the

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purposes of eligibility for the state employee pension program or state employee health benefits.

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     28-57-8. Uniformity.

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     No municipality shall establish, mandate, or otherwise require an employer to provide

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benefits in excess of those required under this chapter, including paid sick and safe leave to its

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employees, other than the paid sick and safe leave requirements provided by this chapter, or to

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apply sick and safe leave policies to statutorily exempt employees and workers.

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     28-57-9. Regulations.

 

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     The department shall coordinate implementation and enforcement of this chapter and

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shall promulgate appropriate guidelines or regulations for such purposes. All regulations to be

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drafted by the department pursuant to this act shall conform with existing applicable regulations

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and statutes that govern chapter 12 of title 28.

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     28-57-10. Enforcement.

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     (a) Enforcement and notice requirements pursuant to this chapter shall be in accordance

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with enforcement and notice requirements of chapter 12 of title 28.

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     (b) Any employee or former employee aggrieved by a violation of the provisions of this

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chapter shall be entitled to the same protections and relief as under chapters 12 and 14 of title 28.

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     (c) An employer who violates this chapter shall be liable for a civil penalty in an amount

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not less than one hundred dollars ($100) for the first violation, and each subsequent violation

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shall be subject to the penalties under of chapter 12 of title 28.

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     28-57-11. Confidentiality and nondisclosure.

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     An employer may not require disclosure of details relating to domestic violence, sexual

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assault, sexual contact or stalking or the details of an employee's or an employee's family

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member's health information as a condition of providing paid sick and safe leave time under this

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chapter. If an employer possesses health information or information pertaining to domestic

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violence, sexual assault, sexual contact, or stalking about an employee or employee's family

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member, such information shall be treated as confidential and not disclosed except to the affected

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employee or with the permission of the affected employee unless required by existing regulation

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or statute.

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     28-57-12. Greater sick and safe leave policies.

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     (a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed in a manner to discourage or prohibit an

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employer from the adoption of a paid sick and safe leave time policy that provides greater rights

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or benefits than those provided pursuant to this chapter.

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     (b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as diminishing the obligation of an

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employer to comply with any contract, collective bargaining agreement, employment benefit plan

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or other agreement that provides greater sick and safe leave time to an employee than required in

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this chapter.

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     (c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as diminishing the rights of public

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employees regarding paid sick and safe leave or use of sick and safe leave time as provided in the

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general laws.

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     28-57-13. Public education and outreach.

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     The department shall develop and implement a multilingual outreach program to inform

 

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employers, employees, parents, and persons who are under the care of a health care provider

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about the availability of paid sick and safe leave time under this chapter. This program shall

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include the distribution of notices and other written materials in English and in all languages

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spoken by more than five percent (5%) of Rhode Island's population and any language deemed

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appropriate by the department to all child care and elder care providers, domestic violence

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shelters or victim services organizations, schools, hospitals, community health centers, and other

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health care providers.

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     28-57-14. Allowable substitution of employers' paid sick and safe leave time.

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     (a) Employers may have different paid leave policies for different groups of employees,

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provided that all policies meet the minimum requirements of this chapter.

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     (b) Employers that prefer not to track accrual of paid sick and safe leave time over the

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course of the benefit year may also use the following schedules for providing lump sums of sick

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leave or paid time off to their employees. Employers using these schedules will be in compliance

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even if an employee's hours vary from week to week. For employees working an average of:

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     (1) Thirty-seven and one-half (37.5) to forty (40) hours per week, provide eight (8) hours

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per month for five (5) months;

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     (2) Thirty (30) hours per week, provide five (5) hours per month for eight (8) months

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     (3) Twenty-four (24) hours per week, provide four (4) hours per month for ten (10)

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months;

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     (4) Twenty (20) hours per week, provide four (4) hours per month for nine (9) months;

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     (5) Sixteen (16) hours per week, provide three (3) hours per month for ten (10) months;

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     (6) Ten (10) hours per week, provide two (2) hours per month for ten (10) months;

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     (7) Five (5) hours per week, provide (one) (1) hour per month for ten (10) months.

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     (e) In the case an employer whose regular work day for full-time employees is less than

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eight (8) hours per day, if the employer provides five (5) days of paid sick and safe time leave

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consisting of the number of hours per day that constitute that full-time employee's work day and

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provides them at the beginning of the year, the employer shall be in compliance with this sub-

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section.

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     (f) Employers that provide forty (40) or more hours of paid time off or vacation to

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employees that also may be used as paid sick and safe leave, consistent with this section, shall not

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be required to provide additional sick leave to employees who use all their time for other

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purposes and have need of paid sick and safe leave later in the year, provided that the employers'

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leave policies make clear that additional time will not be provided.

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     28-57-15. Severability.

 

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     If any provision of this chapter or any rule or regulation created under this chapter, or the

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application of any provision of this chapter to any person or circumstance shall be held invalid by

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any court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of the chapter, rule or regulation and the

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application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby. The

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invalidity of any section or sections or parts of any section of this chapter shall not affect the

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validity of the remainder of this chapter and to this end the provisions of the chapter are declared

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to be severable.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2018.

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LC001131/SUB B

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LC001131/SUB B - Page 11 of 12

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- HEALTHY AND SAFE FAMILIES

AND WORKPLACES ACT

***

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     This act would require employers with eighteen (18) or more employees to provide three

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(3) paid sick days in 2018, four (4) paid sick days in 2019 and five (5) paid sick days thereafter.

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     This act would take effect on July 1, 2018.

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LC001131/SUB B

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LC001131/SUB B - Page 12 of 12