In November of 2024, nearly 75% of Nebraska voters voted in support of Paid Sick Leave for Nebraska (Ballot Initiative 436). OTOC played a significant role in helping get PSL on the ballot by collecting over 2000 petition signatures and educating hundreds of voters to make sure it passed. But now PSL is under attack with the introduction of LB698 this legislative session.
LB698 has been scheduled for a hearing on Monday, February 3, at 1:30pm, in front of the Business and Labor committee in Room 2102 (on the 2nd floor of the capitol.)
This bill would severely weaken the paid sick leave law that Nebraskans enacted through our power as the second house. This legislation would weaken PSL by:
- Exempting several groups of workers from receiving earned sick leave, including agricultural workers, seasonal and temporary employees, and workers under the age of 16.
- Exempting businesses with 10 or fewer employees from having to provide paid sick leave.
- Removing important protections for workers who face retaliation from their employers for using paid sick leave. Specifically, the bill eliminates the ability for workers to enforce the law by being able to file suit for legal/equitable relief.
What you can do:
1) Testify in-person: if you are able to, this is the most effective form of testimony.
- Length of testimony: it should be limited to 3-5 minutes (for hearings with many testifiers, committees may modify the time limit.)
- When to arrive at the capitol: The hearing will begin at 1:30pm. Right now, LB698 is scheduled as the 6th and last bill for the committee. While the order of bills can change, I’d recommend you arrive a little before 1:30pm to be safe. If you are in Lincoln but don’t want to be at the capitol until the bill is up, you can monitor the progression of the hearing online. Moreover, Omaid and I will be at the capitol so you can text me (402-590-7211) or Omaid (605-310-4060) to know how the hearing is progressing.
- Dress code: There is no dress code. Senators typically dress more formally but testifiers are welcome to dress in whatever way you feel most comfortable.
2) Submit testimony online by Monday, February 3, at 8:00am: if you are unable to attend in person, you may submit testimony through the bill’s online portal by clicking on “Submit comments online for LB698.”
- There is a 500 word limit for online testimony
- Your comments will be included in the official hearing record
- Again, the deadline to submit is Feb 3 at 8:00am.
- PLEASE NOTE: After submitting a comment, you will receive an email asking to verify your comment. Your comment will not be viewable by Legislative Staff until this step is completed. Online comments for the Public Hearing Record are to be submitted in lieu of in-person testimony. If you have submitted an online comment for the Public Hearing Record, you may be asked not to testify by the committee.
Talking points to help with your testimony or comment:
- Nearly 75% of Nebraskans approved Initiative 436. That includes voters in 89 of 93 counties. Moreover, a majority of voters in every single legislative district supported the initiative to provide paid sick leave to hardworking Nebraskans.
- Over 200 local Nebraska businesses – retail, small vendor, direct service, agriculture, contractors, and restaurant/food service – supported this important initiative.
- This bill would substantially undermine the will of Nebraska voters who overwhelmingly supported Initiative 436.
Below is the comment that OTOC has submitted for the hearing for LB698.
OTOC is a broad based organization made up of 30 community institutions representing tens of thousands of NE constituents. For over 100 years, the people of Nebraska have played an important role in the lawmaking process in our state through the use of ballot initiatives. In fact, it was through this important form of direct democracy that Nebraska’s unique Unicameral system was created. Nebraska was also the first state to extend the ballot initiative process to local municipalities. The right to petition, along with the right to vote, allows citizens of Nebraska to act as “the second house” in preserving the checks and balances that prevent the abuse of power. The reminder of the importance of our role as the second house is permanently carved into the bricks of our state capital in the words of Hartley Burr Alexander: “The salvation of the state is watchfulness in the citizen.” OTOC believes that ballot initiatives are an important form of direct democracy and that any attempts to weaken this process, or the results of this process, are deeply undemocratic at their core.
The majority of voters in EVERY SINGLE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT supported Ballot Initiative 436 and nearly 75% of Nebraskan voters voted FOR Paid Sick Leave. That includes voters in 89 of 93 counties. In addition to this overwhelming support from individuals, over 200 local Nebraska businesses – retail, small vendor, direct service, agriculture, contractors, and restaurant/food service – supported this important initiative. LB698 is a blatant disregard for the role of the citizens in Nebraska and egregiously disrespects the power granted to us by our forebears as the Second House. For this reason, OTOC OPPOSES LB698 and calls upon the Business and Labor Committee to honor the will of Nebraskans by NOT advancing this bill.
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