Family economies and public health are at stake as Gov. Rick Scott decides whether to sign a bill that could eliminate some hard-won pay scales and employment benefits, including paid sick leave. Opponents of the legislation say the legislation intrudes on local decision making.
During the legislative session, the bill was heavily backed by business groups who see a patchwork of local employment rules as a job killer in Florida. It would repeal and prohibit local minimum wages that exceed the federal standard and locally-ordered benefits, such as paid sick leave. Jean Cifron, an advocate for Miami Dade's 69,000 restaurant workers, said that's what should worry everybody - making the restaurant staff work sick."I don't know about you but when I go to a restaurant, I like to know that I'm not going to get my food served a side of the flu", Cifron said.
Local and state elected officials, including Democratic Florida Congresswomen Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Lois Frankel, and Kathy Castor have signed a letter urging Governor Scott to veto the bill. Miami Dade State Representative Cynthia Stafford said it shouldn't surprise anyone that women are the bill's main opponents.
"Quite often it's women who stay home to take care of the sick children or who go to the school when the child is sick", Stafford said. "So this bill I believe will also disproportionately affect women."
Miami-Dade and Broward have similar laws that require a higher minimum wage with health benefits for employees of many county contractors. Dade also requires 30 days of unpaid leave to victims of domestic violence.
All of those of those workplace rules would be repealed if Scott signs that bill. House Bill 655 has not yet arrived in the governor's office. Once it does, he'll have 15 days to sign it, allow it to become law unsigned or issue a veto.