2023 -- S 1082

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LC003084

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

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

AND WORKPLACES ACT

     

     Introduced By: Senator Robert Britto

     Date Introduced: May 25, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Labor

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 28-57-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-57 entitled "Healthy and

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Safe Families and Workplaces Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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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 childcare 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(3).

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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 household

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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) and any other individuals pursuant

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to the provisions of 29 U.S.C. Section 203 et seq. (Fair Labor Standards Act) shall not be considered

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to be 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 employees

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performing work for an employer as defined in 29 C.F.R. § 791.2 of the federal Fair Labor

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

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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) “Healthcare 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 healthcare benefits, as

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

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for the purposes described in § 28-57-6, but in no case shall the hourly wage paid leave be less than

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that provided under § 28-12-3.

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     (12) “Parent” means a person as defined in § 28-41-34(9) or a person as defined in § 28-

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41-34(10).

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     (13) “Seasonal employee” means a person as defined in 26 C.F.R. § 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 blood,

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

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     (16) “Spouse” means a person as defined in § 28-41-34(13).

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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.

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

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the employer; except that for the purposes of § 28-57-7, “year” means a calendar year.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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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 amend the definition of employee to remove apprenticeships and interns

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and any other individuals pursuant to the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29

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U.S.C. Section 203 et seq.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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