Executive Order for Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors

New employment laws are passed on a regular basis in the United States. In July, a law in California went into effect that mandated accrual of paid sick time for all qualified employees. Often, hourly or part-time employees are not eligible for benefits such as paid time off for illness, however, California’ new law demonstrates how attitudes toward employee benefits are slowly progressing in the U.S., and Massachusetts also recently passed a similar law. Though private employers in Florida are not required to provide paid time off to employees, President Obama recently signed an executive order that may provide this benefit to a number of employees in our state.

The executive order signed on Labor Day 2015 will require federal contractors across the country to provide up to seven days of paid sick time accrual to their employees. Furthermore, employees of contractors who already have paid sick time benefits will have the opportunity to earn additional paid time off. Though it will be some time before the order can go into effect, it is just another example of this administration’s efforts to improve the lives of federal contractor employees. In the past, he has signed orders mandating the following:

• Creating disincentives for federal contractors who violate labor laws;
• Raising the minimum wage for employees of federal contractors; and
• Protecting LGBT federal contract employees from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

The president has said that he would like to extend paid sick leave and similar benefits under the law to all private sector employees across the United States, however, he cannot do so without the cooperation of Congress. For this reason, his orders will only affect the employees of federal contractors, which are estimated to be about 300,000 individuals across the country.

Like many supporters of similar laws, the president stated that he believed providing additional pay and benefits to workers increases productivity, lowers turnover and, therefore, improves business for many companies. Opponents of the order and similar provisions state that many contractors cannot afford to provide these additional benefits and that the order may likely cause employers to lower wages and cut jobs. Regardless of the long-term effects of the executive order, federal contractors will be required to comply with the order once it goes into effect. Like any other employment law, employers do not have the option of noncompliance simply because they disagree with the provision.

Discuss A Potential Case With An Experienced Plantation, Florida Employment Lawyer

At the Law Offices of Robert S. Norell, P.A., we know that laws and the rights of employees under the law are constantly changing. Your employer cannot deny you your right to sick time, proper wages, or overtime pay simply because they were not aware of a change in the law. If you believe that your employee rights have been violated, you should not hesitate to contact our office in Plantation, Florida as soon as possible. We can evaluate your case and protect your rights, so please call 954-617-6017 to consult with an experienced employment attorney today.