SAN ANTONIO — This Wednesday a judge could decide if the paid sick leave ordinance will begin December 1.
- Was supposed to start August 1
- City was sued by local businesses, associations
- City hopes a delay will give time to refine the ordinance
The paid sick leave ordinance was supposed to start August 1, but the city was sued by local businesses and business associations to stop it from happening.
Last week the city and opposing counsel submitted an agreed order for the court to consider pushing it back till December 1.
RELATED: Paid Sick Leave Supporters Celebrate Victories
The Texas Civil Rights Project filed an intervention on behalf of MOVE Texas Action Fund, the Texas Organizing Project Education Fund, and San Antonio resident and home care provider, Marilyn Washington. The groups rallied outside the courthouse Monday.
"We have to stand up for our own rights. As working families we need to fight together and demand our paid sick days happen now," Joleen Garcia with the Texas Organizing Project said.
The City says this delay will give them more time to work with stakeholders and the paid sick leave commission to refine the ordinance.
In a statement city attorney Andy Segovia saying “The proposed agreed order to delay implementation of the Paid Sick Leave Ordinance preserves the ordinance, the work of the Council-appointed Commission and the ability of the City Council to make timely adjustments to the ordinance, if it chooses. By contrast, a court order indefinitely suspending implementation – such as what happened in the City of Austin – risks losing all of those things."
A statement from Mayor Ron Nirenberg was released Monday saying “Over the weekend, I made clear my desire to move forward with the Aug. 1 implementation of the earned paid sick leave ordinance as written and enacted. It would be best to address concerns through the paid sick leave commission after implementation. City attorney’s staff acted in the manner they thought would best defend the ordinance. We share the same goal but not the same strategy. I remain firm in my opposition to a delay in implementing the earned paid sick leave ordinance.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton weighed in on the matter, saying an ordinance like this circumvents state law.
“San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and other cities cannot be allowed to pass their own laws simply because they dislike state law or disagree with the judgment of the state’s elected representatives,” Paxton said. “The Legislature established the minimum amount of compensation for workers, and the Texas Constitution prohibits local municipalities from ignoring the Legislature’s decision.”