$12 per hour minimum wage ballot initiative

Arizonans for Fair Wages and Health Families filed the $12 minimum wage initiative with the Secretary of State this morning. In includes “earned paid sick time”. 

This ballot initiative calls for employers to pay no less than the following minimum wages:

• $10 on and after January 1, 2017
• $10.50 on and after January 1, 2018
• $11 on and after January 1, 2019
• $12 on and after January 1, 2020

A section defining tipped employees is included and allows for a $3 per hour reduction in pay IF the employer can establish by its record of charged tips or by the employees declaration for FICA purposes for each week, when adding tips that the employee received not less than the minimum wage.

Sick time is mandatory for all employers but establishes a different distribution policy for employers with 15 employees or more and those with less than 15 on staff. The minimum accrual shall be 1 hour of earned paid time for every 30 hours worked. Use of sick time cannot exceed 40 hours per year for employers with 15 employees or more and 24 hours for those with less than 15 employees.

Read the entire ballot initiative here.

The Public Policy Committee of the Fountain Hills Chamber will be discussing this issue at the next meeting. Visit our calendar for details.