Reveal investigates fraud in California’s workers’ comp system; workers face unnecessary hazards in the recycling industry; anger over union exemptions in Los Angeles’ new minimum wage law; and two miners win their retaliation case against Murray Energy.
New York State’s new budget deal includes a paid-leave program that will offer the most paid leave in the nation once it’s fully implemented in 2021: 12 weeks of leave at up to two-thirds of pay.
Government
Leaked poll shows business execs overwhelmingly support paid leave, higher wages and fair scheduling
You know how opponents of paid sick leave and raising the minimum wage always cite resistance in the business community? Well, in turns out that such resistance might be closer to a marketing gimmick rather than a genuine reflection of employer sentiment.
A peek inside the life of Miami’s hotel housekeepers during spring break; a tie vote at the Supreme Court is a win for labor unions; California on track to adopt statewide minimum wage of $15; and Los Angeles nurses go on strike for safer working conditions.
It seems obvious that workers with paid sick leave are more likely to stay home and seek out medical care when they or a family member is ill. But it’s always good to confirm a hunch with some solid data.
Affordable Care Act
Obama’s last budget proposal tackles antibiotic resistance, opioid abuse, climate change
President Obama released his 2017 federal budget proposal yesterday, recommending funding boosts for a number of public health priorities. And even though his presidency is coming to an end and so this budget is probably dead on arrival in the Republican-controlled Congress, it’s worth a peek inside.
A bill introduced in the DC City Council would allow covered DC workers to take up to 16 weeks of paid leave in a year, at full pay for those who make up to $52,000 annually, to address their own serious medical conditions, bond with a new child, care for a seriously ill family member, or deal with deployment-related issues.
Child Labor
Summit on Worker Voice: ‘We should be making it easier, not harder, for folks to join a union’
Earlier this week, the White House hosted a Summit on Worker Voice, welcoming organizers from more traditional labor groups, such as unions, as well as voices from new worker movements, such as Fight for $15. At the summit, President Obama spoke about wages, the power of collective action and the growing “gig” economy.
Union fair-share fees at stake in upcoming Supreme Court case; United Arab Emirates announces labor reforms for migrant workers; taxi drivers in Chicago stop service in protest of proposed Uber rules; and health privacy at risk in workplace wellness programs.
Last week, 203 business-school faculty members from 88 institutions across the US wrote an open letter to members of Congress stating, “It is time to ensure that the entire United States workforce has access to paid family and medical leave.”