Bellingham tells state lawmakers to pass paid sick leave

City Council will ask the state Legislature to require paid sick and safe leave rather than look to pass a rule locally.

By a 5-2 vote Monday night, Dec. 7, the council passed a resolution calling on state legislators to require employers to provide their workers paid sick and safe leave. Council members Roxanne Murphy and Jack Weiss were opposed.

Murphy first brought the idea of passing a local ordinance forward in July. The city rule would have required employers in Bellingham to provide paid leave in certain circumstances.

The council’s community and economic development committee held a public meeting to get input on the matter on Nov. 4. Council members Murphy, Michael Lilliquist and Pinky Vargas heard from dozens of speakers opposed to and in favor of the rule.

Some workers shared stories of being required to go to work while sick, even when they knew it could make other people ill, because they might lose their job or lose income by taking an unpaid day.

Others questioned the safety of forcing grocery store and restaurant workers to go to work while sick. Some grocery store workers said even though they had paid sick leave, they couldn’t use it until they had been sick for three days.

Some speakers shared the importance of safe leave, which allowed them to create plans to get away from domestic violence.

Small business owners, on the other hand, overwhelmingly spoke in opposition to the measure, saying it would make doing business in Bellingham even harder for many who are barely making it as it is.

One person pointed out that some of the city’s own employees aren’t currently given paid sick and safe leave.

Tony Larson, president of the Whatcom Business Alliance, said he thought the issue was not a political one, but such a requirement would give business owners pause.

“We and the Port of Bellingham and the chambers work really hard to dissuade the perception that Bellingham is an unfriendly place to do business,” Larson said at the Nov. 4 meeting. “The concern is that this will feed the perception.”

Others said the measure would be better done at the state or national level, so Bellingham wouldn’t be put at a disadvantage when compared to nearby communities.

That argument in particular appeared to have an impact on the three council members at the meeting. By their committee meeting on Nov. 9, they recommended drafting a resolution to encourage legislation at the state level.

Resolution

The resolution specifically calls on the state legislature to pass a sick and safe leave law that would:

▪  Require public and private employers provide employees with minimum sick and safe leave accrued for hours worked.

▪  Prevent and prohibit retaliation against employees for using the leave.

▪  Require the leave to be allowed for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking so they may seek medical care, shelter, legal assistance and services.

▪  Create minimum standards allowing carryover for unused leave from year to year.

▪  Allow leave to be taken during a public health emergency.

▪  Prescribe provisions for enforcement.

▪  Minimize the impacts on businesses by recognizing current practices such as shift trading and provide credit for alternative paid leave policies such as paid time off.

▪  Allow employees who have accumulated leave to use it on the first day of an illness.

Washington state lawmakers tried to pass a similar law during this year’s legislative session, but after it passed in the House it was not taken up for a vote in the Senate.

Murphy voiced her frustration at that fact Monday afternoon, and expressed doubt that the matter would pass at a state level.

“It will not become passed ever by our Senate,” Murphy said. “Therefore it puts it back in the game of the local jurisdictions to make the case.”

She asked to amend the resolution to add that if the state did not address the issue, City Council would take it up again, but there was not enough support and she withdrew the motion.

Before the council’s vote Monday night, a handful of people spoke during public comment to urge them not to pass the buck to the state level. Some commended Murphy for bringing the measure forward locally.

No further discussion took place before the 5-2 vote.

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 5:02 PM with the headline "Bellingham tells state lawmakers to pass paid sick leave."