(WXYZ) — Employees across Michigan earned a victory after a Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that Republican lawmakers took rights away from voters when they amended a law over paid sick leave and minimum wage.
In 2018, two petitions starting making their rounds – one from Michigan Fair Wage calling for a $12.05 minimum wage by 2022.
The second circulated by MI Time to Care would have required employees with fewer than 10 employees to allow workers to accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick time per year.
At the time, the Republican-controlled legislature adopted the two initiatives before election day, meaning the decision was no longer up to the voters. A law allowed Republicans to make changes with simple majorities.
Under that move, the minimum wage increase would be phased in by 2030 instead of 2022, and the sick leave law was amended to remove requirements for employers with fewer than 50 workers.
Four years after that, Court of Claims Judge Douglas Shapiro ruled it was unconstitutional.
The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging CEO Justin Winslow said in a statement, "if the 2018 proposals are allowed to be implemented as originally crafted, restaurant operators would immediately experience 156% labor cost inflation at a time when their recovery is already tenuous and the average wage for tipped employees in Michigan is currently $24 per hour."
Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel called Shapiro's ruling "a victory for the residents of Michigan."
The current minimum wage for tipped employees is $3.25 per hour, and non-tipped employees make $9.25 per hour.
The changes will be delayed in the ruling is appealed.
