As reported by WBOC 16, the General Assembly is working on minimum wage and plans to take up legislation addressing sick leave afterwards, or next session.  MACo opposed HB 968/SB 753 Labor and Employment – Maryland Earned Sick and Safe Leave Act.

Sen. Thomas Middleton, a Charles County Democrat and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, says he won’t bring the bill up for a vote. Middleton says workers’ rights advocates told him early on that the minimum wage hike was more important than sick leave. Since then, the wage bill has dominated the committee’s schedule.

Del. Dereck Davis, House Economic Matters Committee chairman, said Tuesday there’s only a remote possibility of examining the sick leave bill this year if minimum wage passes.

Middleton says it would overburden employers to pass both bills the same year, but the General Assembly will need to address sick leave eventually.

For more information see the full story from WBOC 16, or the bill information pages for this session’s minimum wage, and sick leave bills.