An Austin-based conservative think-tank has sued the city over its paid sick leave ordinance, which requires all private businesses to give employees six to eight paid sick days per year from 1 October.
The right-wing Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPFF) is representing several plaintiffs, including the Texas Association of Business and the National Federation of Independent Business, according to the Austin Monitor. It has also been joined by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is seeking to strike down the policy.
TPPF argues the paid sick leave ordinance violates the Texas Constitution and is pre-empted by state minimum wage law, which makes no mention of requiring paid time off from work. The Foundation has asked the court to block the ordinance from going into effect while the case is being heard.
Council Member Greg Casar, who spearheaded the rules, said mandatory paid sick leave was a “basic workplace standard” and that groups like the TPPF wanted to “keep working people down”.
"Working families in Austin aren’t going to let these out of touch groups take away our right to self-determination or our right to a fair workplace," he said in a statement
Meanwhile, Work Strong Austin, a group of local employers, called the lawsuit frivolous. "Let there be no doubt: today’s announcement is cowardly, desperate, and shameful," it said.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
An Austin-based conservative think-tank has sued the city over its paid sick leave ordinance, which requires all private businesses to give employees six to eight paid sick days per year from 1 October.
The right-wing Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPFF) is representing several plaintiffs, including the Texas Association of Business and the National Federation of Independent Business, according to the Austin Monitor. It has also been joined by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is seeking to strike down the policy.
TPPF argues the paid sick leave ordinance violates the Texas Constitution and is pre-empted by state minimum wage law, which makes no mention of requiring paid time off from work. The Foundation has asked the court to block the ordinance from going into effect while the case is being heard.
Council Member Greg Casar, who spearheaded the rules, said mandatory paid sick leave was a “basic workplace standard” and that groups like the TPPF wanted to “keep working people down”.
"Working families in Austin aren’t going to let these out of touch groups take away our right to self-determination or our right to a fair workplace," he said in a statement
Meanwhile, Work Strong Austin, a group of local employers, called the lawsuit frivolous. "Let there be no doubt: today’s announcement is cowardly, desperate, and shameful," it said.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
