Nebraska businesses would be required to offer paid sick leave to employees under a proposal that’s headed for the November ballot. The Secretary of State’s Office on Tuesday confirmed Paid Sick Leave For Nebraskans has gathered enough signatures to put the issue before voters.
“I appreciate our county election officials carefully reviewing and verifying the submitted signatures in a timely manner,” Secretary of State Bob Evnen says. “I have reviewed the initiative, and it is in compliance with the law.”
The Paid Sick Leave petition collected more than 97,500 valid signatures from Nebraska voters statewide. The initiative would establish a minimum requirement of paid sick leave for working Nebraskans to earn and use without retaliation.
Campaign Manager Jodi Lepaopao tells KLIN News for businesses with fewer than 20 employees workers may earn up to 40 hours of paid sick time a year. For businesses with 20 or more employees workers may earn up to 56 hours of paid sick time.
She says ensuring paid sick leave for full-and-part-time employees would benefit more than 250,000 working Nebraskans. According to a recent Nebraska Benefits Survey, over one-third of full-time and more than three-quarters of part-time workers do not have paid sick days to take care of themselves or their families.
“The overwhelming support that paid sick leave received across the state during signature collection will carry on to Election Day,” Lepaopao says. “Nebraskans believe that we should reward hard work, not punish people for getting sick. This November, we have a chance to vote for our values and say that no one should have to choose between a paycheck and their health or the health of their family.”