After eight hours of debate spanning four days, lawmakers amended and advanced a bill from general file March 28 intended to clarify provisions of a ballot initiative passed by Nebraska voters that guarantees paid sick leave.
The successful ballot initiative, passed last November, provides eligible Nebraska employees the right to earn and use paid sick leave for family health needs based on the size of their employer — up to 40 hours annually for employers with fewer than 20 employees and 56 hours for businesses with more than 20 employees.
LB415, as introduced by Lincoln Sen. Beau Ballard, would exempt individual owner-operators, independent contractors and individuals who work fewer than 80 hours annually from the provisions of the initiative, known as the Nebraska Healthy Families and Workplaces Act.
Under the bill, employers who have paid leave policies that equal or exceed the amount of paid sick leave required by the initiative would not be required to provide any additional paid sick leave.
The measure also would clarify that employers are not required to pay out employees for unused paid sick time when they leave their place of employment. Employees who are rehired within 12 months would have their unused sick time reinstated.
Lastly, LB415 clarifies that employees would begin to accrue paid sick leave after 80 hours of consecutive employment. The measure would take effect Oct. 1, 2025.
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