PROVIDENCE – Gov. Gina M. Raimondo Thursday signed into law the paid sick leave bill passed by the General Assembly in a special session earlier this month.
The Healthy and Safe Families and Workplaces Act guarantees earned paid sick time to more than 100,000 employees in the state. Starting July 2018, workers at employers with 18 or more employees will be able to take up to three earned sick days, phasing up to four in 2019 and five starting Jan 1, 2020. Sick days also cover “safe time” for those experiencing domestic violence.
Everyone needs science. Science needs everyone.
The Amgen Foundation is guided by the belief that all students should have the opportunity…
Learn More
Companies with 17 or fewer employees will have to offer sick leave without adverse consequence for employees, but are not required to provide paid sick time.
“Being able to recover from an illness or care for a sick relative without having to worry about losing your job or going without pay is a basic right that Rhode Islanders deserve,” said Raimondo. “Treating workers with dignity and respect is imperative to creating a strong, productive workforce, but more importantly, it’s the right thing to do. I want to thank every legislator, community advocate and citizen who came together to pass this legislation and protect Rhode Island’s working families.”
Raimondo also signed legislation that makes previously undisclosed records from the state’s investigation of the 38 Studios LLC debacle public. The governor announced she will also file an objection to the court order blocking the release of the documents filed by Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin in June.
The governor also vetoed a bill Wednesday pertaining to firefighters’ disability pensions, that would have guaranteed disability pensions to firefighters with heart conditions, presuming without proof that they procured the heart condition from the line of work.
Of the bill, the governor said in her veto statement, “It would create a significant new unfunded local pension benefit that would cost millions of dollars annually in new pension obligations for cities and towns – likely resulting in simultaneous property tax increases.”
Raimondo also cited General Treasurer Seth Magaziner’s complaint that the bill would ignore relevant evidence, including the opinions of physicians, in automatically granting the benefit.
