On September 7, 2018, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed Executive Directive 2018-4 instructing all state departments and agencies to remove the felony question box that precedes job applications on the website that residents may use to apply for state employment. The felony conviction box will be replaced with an affirmation of good character statement, similar to what will be used on licensing applications.
The directive further prohibits a state department or agency from including a question about an applicant’s criminal history or convictions in a job application or job posting. However, these inquiries and a background check may be conducted later in the hiring process. The prohibition does not apply to an application or posting for a specific position if state or federal law prohibits hiring candidates with criminal histories for the specific position in question.
The directive is effective October 1, 2018.
See the press release and read E.D. 2018-4
On September 5, 2018, the Michigan legislature passed the Earned Sick Time Act. The act began as a ballot initiative but was passed by legislature and thereby will no longer appear on the November 6, 2018 ballot. Of note, there is conjecture as to whether the act will be amended due to the shift from ballot initiative to legislative act. However, for the time being, the act grants workers the right to earn sick time for personal or family health needs, school meetings needed as the result of a child’s disability, health issues, or issues due to domestic violence and sexual assault
All Michigan employers are covered by the act and are required to provide earned sick time to each employee in Michigan as follows:
The act includes year calculations, notice requirements, documentation requirements, retaliation protections, and more.
The act is effective April 1, 2019.
See the act
On September 5, 2018, the state legislature passed the Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act (2018 Senate Journal No. 64) to incrementally increase the state’s minimum wage and tipped-worker hourly minimum wage.
The state’s hourly minimum wage increases as follows:
And the state’s tipped-worker hourly minimum wage increases as follows:
The initiative was adopted September 5, 2018.