SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio's 'paid sick leave' ordinance is now on hold.
- Sick leave ordinance delayed
- Supporters of ordinance protested outside
- Attorneys say ordinance is government overreach
On the steps of the Bexar County Courthouse, labor groups and advocates chanted loudly before Wednesday’s hearing against the delay.
Inside the courtroom, visiting Texas State District Judge Sol Casseb III honored the request by lawyers representing the City of San Antonio to halt court proceedings until modifications to the newly drafted Earned Paid Sick Leave Ordinance were made. Attorneys representing businesses filed a lawsuit against the city because of the ordinance saying the employee benefits measure is a form of government overreach.
READ MORE | Hearing for Paid Sick Leave Start Date Set for Wednesday
"What is being objected to is a mandate by the city, on top of the mandates we already have by the state and federal government." -- Ricardo Gonzales Cedillo
San Antonio city attorneys knew the San Antonio City Council drafted a flawed paid sick policy, hence the lawsuit by filed by business groups against the city. The judge granted the city lawyers time without hesitation as opposing sides agreed ordinance changes are needed. City of San Antonio layer Barry Snell said adjustments would be made: "as to changes that can be made to the ordinances without substantially changing its effectiveness."
San Antonio's lawyers also wanted to avoid some of the mistakes made by San Antonio’s neighbor 70 miles to the north.
RELATED | Appeals Court Reverses Austin Paid Sick Leave Ordinance
Last year, the 3rd Court of Appeals declared Austin’s paid sick leave ordinance unconstitutional, saying that ordinance is in conflict with the Texas Minimum Wage Act.
"We'll get it different anyway. We think the Austin ordinance was right. We think we can remove some of the objectionable feature without hurting the ordinance,” said Snell.
The 13-member Paid Sick Leave Commission now must get busy drafting potential revisions. Cedillo said employees ultimately may have to pay the bottom line.