The Oregon legislature is expected to vote this week on statewide paid sick-leave. Eugene has passed its own sick leave ordinance, but, the mayor has asked to delay its implementation.
The Eugene ordinance was set to go into effect July 1st. Mayor Kitty Piercy says, with expectation of a state law mandating sick leave, it made sense to delay the city's rule. The state law would over-rule Eugene's. Piercy says this way businesses won't have to go through the adjustment twice.
Piercy: "It's just a fairness issue in my view. I'm certainly a strong advocate of sick leave and want people to have it as soon as possible but I think its fair to all the employers of all kinds that they don't have to go through it twice and spend the money and time."
The law moving through the legislature differs from Eugene's. It exempts businesses with 10 employees or fewer from paying workers for sick time. Eugene's ordinance has no exemptions.
The Eugene City Council will hold a hearing on the sick leave ordinance June 15th.
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