Paid Sick Leave on Track in Dallas and San Antonio
By Kristin L. Bauer, Katrin U. Schatz, Julie A. Farmer, & Michael J. Lombardino
As noted in a recent post, absent extraordinary legislative action or prompt legal challenge, by Aug. 1, 2019, most employers with employees working at least 80 hours a year in Dallas or San Antonio should be prepared to comply with paid sick leave ordinances.
The city of San Antonio recently released an eight-month implementation plan for its paid sick leave ordinance. The implementation plan (dubbed as a “listening tour”) will run through April 1, 2020, and will focus on educating employers and employees about the new paid sick and safe leave ordinance. The city will host six public meetings so that individuals can learn about the law and ask questions. Starting Aug. 1, 2019, a team will begin investigating complaints in San Antonio as part of its efforts to educate employers. San Antonio’s Metro Health Department offers an employer checklist, a sample paid sick leave policy, and a spreadsheet to help companies track employees paid sick time.
The city of Dallas has not yet announced an implementation plan, even though its ordinance is nearly identical to the San Antonio ordinance and shares the same fast-approaching effective date. The city of Dallas has confirmed that the director of the Office of Fair Housing and Human Rights is the “director of the department designated by the city manager to implement this ordinance,” and that the Office is creating informational materials and resources to assist with implementation. Any informational materials and resources will be posted on the city website.
Despite the effective date for the Dallas and San Antonio paid sick leave ordinances, civil penalties will not apply until Apr. 1, 2020. But both the Dallas and San Antonio ordinances provide for civil penalties for retaliation as of Aug. 1, 2019 (for most employers).
With the effective date quickly approaching, employers with employees in Dallas or San Antonio need to prepare. Find more information on both the Dallas and San Antonio Municipal Ordinances here.
***This article originally appeared on the Jackson Lewis’ Disability, Leave & Health Management blog and was reposted on the DMEC website with their permission.***