Following the Michigan Supreme Court’s July 31, 2024, ruling that the state legislature’s December 2018 “adopt and amend” action was unconstitutional, and that the state’s minimum wage will increase in 2025, the court has now clarified what those minimum wage increases will be when the law takes effect on February
Articles About Michigan Labor and Employment Law.
Michigan Supreme Court Clarifies Minimum Wage & Tipped Rates and Schedule for 2025 and Future Years
On September 18, 2024, at the request of the State of Michigan and its attorney general, the Michigan Supreme Court clarified issues relating to future minimum wage rates and minimum cash wage rates for tip-credit employees stemming from an earlier opinion.
Michigan Supreme Court Invalidates Legislative Amendments to Minimum Wage, Paid Sick Leave Measures
Michigan employers soon will face a significantly higher minimum wage and more onerous employee sick leave obligations after the Michigan Supreme Court invalidated the Michigan legislature’s amendments related to two voter ballot initiatives. Mothering Justice v. Attorney General and State of Michigan, No. 165325 (July 31, 2024).
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Michigan Supreme Court Voids Existing Minimum (Cash) Wage and Paid Sick Leave Laws and Revives Old Laws
The Michigan Supreme Court has ordered a “do-over” of sorts by reviving old laws regulating minimum wage, tip, and paid sick leave. Changes to the minimum wage and tip rules will go into effect on February 21, 2025, but a number of questions remain.
Michigan Supreme Court Reinstates Voter-Initiated Versions of State’s Paid Sick Leave and Minimum Wage Laws
On July 31, 2024, the Michigan Supreme Court reinstated Michigan’s original (2018) voter-initiated versions of the Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act (IWOWA) and the Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA). This reversion will take effect on February 21, 2025. The decision is significant for Michigan employers because it expands paid sick
Michigan Supreme Court to Hear State’s Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Laws Battle
In 2018, the Michigan legislature adopted, and then within the same legislative session amended, two voter-approved ballot initiatives, one to significantly raised Michigan’s minimum wage and the other to expand employer obligations to provide paid sick leave. In 2022, the Michigan Court of Claims held that the legislature’s actions violated
Michigan Repeals Right-to-Work Law
In 2012, Michigan enacted a right-to-work statute that prevented employees from being forced to join or financially support a labor union as a condition of employment. On Friday, March 24, 2023, Michigan became the first state in 58 years to repeal its right-to-work statute. The repeal will take effect
Governor Whitmer Signs Legislation Repealing Michigan’s Right-to-Work Law
On March 24, 2023, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law legislation repealing Michigan’s right-to-work law for private-sector employees. The legislation had previously passed the Michigan House of Representatives on March 14, 2023, and the Michigan Senate on March 21, 2023. Both bills passed along party lines.
Michigan Senate Passes Bill to Repeal Right-to-Work Law Governing Private-Sector Employers
On March 21, 2023, the Michigan Senate passed Senate Bill No. 34 in the final step of the legislative process to repeal Michigan’s right-to-work law governing private-sector employers. The Senate’s action comes on the heels of the Michigan House of Representatives’ passage of a similar bill, House Bill 4005, on
Michigan Legislature Passes Amendment to Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to Protect LGBTQ Rights
On March 8, 2023, the Michigan House of Representatives passed a bill (S.B. 4) expanding the language of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA)’s protected categories to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression as prohibited categories for discrimination. The state senate approved S.B. 4 on March 1,
Michigan House Passes Bills to Repeal State’s Right-to-Work Law, Debate Moves to Michigan Senate
On March 8, 2023, the Michigan House of Representatives passed two bills that would repeal Michigan’s current right-to-work law. The two bills, House Bill (HB) 4004 and HB 4005, passed 56–53 along party lines. HB 4004 relates specifically to right to work in the public sector; HB 4005 relates to
(Mothering) Justice Denied: Legislative Amendments to Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Upheld
The Michigan legislature was within its authority to amend two ballot initiatives in 2018, one to significantly raise the minimum wage and the other to greatly expand the availability of paid sick leave to employees, the Michigan Court of Appeals has held. Mothering Justice v. Attorney General, 2023 Mich. App. LEXIS 625 (Mich. Ct. App. Jan. 26, 2023).
Michigan Appeals Court “Undoes” Lower Court’s “Undoing” of What Legislature “Undid” Concerning Minimum Wage, Tip, and Paid Leave Standards
On January 26, 2023, a three-judge panel of the Michigan Court of Appeals issued a ruling regarding Michigan’s minimum wage, tip, and paid sick and safe time laws. In 2018 the Michigan state legislature overhauled revisions to Michigan’s minimum wage and tip law and its newly created paid sick
Michigan Court of Appeals Maintains Status Quo Regarding Paid Medical Leave
On January 26, 2023, in the long-awaited opinion in Mothering Justice v. Attorney General, a three-judge panel of the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled, in a 3–0 opinion, that the Michigan Paid Medical Leave Act (PMLA) and Michigan Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act, as implemented in March 2019, will remain
Michigan Minimum Wage and Paid Leave Update: Agency Guidance and the Mothering Justice Appeal
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) has provided guidance on the upcoming changes to the state’s minimum wage rates in light of the Michigan Court of Claims decision in Mothering Justice v. Nessel, No. 21-000095-MM (July 19, 2022).