Labor & Employment (Labor Standards)

in committee · Michigan · House Apr 30, 2026

HB 5564: Civil procedure: other; regulation and licensing of earned wage access service providers; provide for. Amends sec. 4012 of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.4012). TIE BAR WITH: HB 5558'26

HB 5564 amends Michigan's garnishment law to clarify rules for withholding wages or salary (referred to as "periodic payments"). It requires plaintiffs to send regular payment statements to defendants and garnishees (like employers), sets strict deadlines for default judgments, and establishes a 28-day cure period for employers who miss garnishment requirements. The bill specifically excludes earned wage access services (like paycheck advance apps) from these garnishment rules, as noted in section 13(d). This update aims to streamline the process for all parties involved in wage garnishments while ensuring transparency and reducing errors.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExcludes earned wage access services from garnishment rules, protecting workers' access to earned wages and preventing premature wage withholding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Michigan · House Dec 18, 2025

HB 5392: Employment security: administration; recovery of improperly paid benefits; allow claimant to provide evidence of waiver eligibility. Amends sec. 62 of 1936 (Ex Sess) PA 1 (MCL 421.62).

HB 5392 updates Michigan's unemployment benefits recovery process by expanding eligibility for claimants to request waivers of repayment for improperly paid benefits. It allows claimants 60 days after receiving an overpayment notice to submit evidence showing repayment would be "contrary to equity and good conscience," such as administrative errors by the agency, employer-provided incorrect wage data, or household income below 150% of the federal poverty level. The bill clarifies that waivers apply retroactively from the date of the error or application, and requires refunds for payments made after the waiver request. This directly affects individuals who received unemployment benefits they later had to repay due to agency or employer errors.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands waiver eligibility for unemployment overpayments due to agency errors or low income, protecting workers from unfair repayment demands.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Unemployment

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in committee · Michigan · House Dec 17, 2025

HB 5374: Labor: hours and wages; prevailing wage; require on certain broadband service projects. Amends sec. 1 of 2023 PA 10 (MCL 408.1101).

HB 5374 requires that workers on specific broadband service projects in Michigan be paid prevailing wages and fringe benefits, as defined by state labor law. This applies to broadband developers constructing, maintaining, or expanding infrastructure (like fiber optic lines) for new projects funded by state or local governments, but excludes projects receiving federal funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund. The bill amends Michigan’s existing prevailing wage law to explicitly include broadband service projects under the same wage standards as other state-funded construction work. It defines key terms like "broadband service project" and clarifies which federal programs are exempt from these requirements.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates prevailing wages and fringe benefits for broadband workers on state/local projects, directly advancing worker compensation and benefits in labor context.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · Michigan · House Dec 23, 2025

HB 5422: Labor: leave; permissible use for earned sick time; modify. Amends title & secs. 2 & 4 of 2018 PA 338 (MCL 408.962 & 408.964).

HB 5422 amends Michigan's Earned Sick Time Act (2018 PA 338) to clarify and expand permissible uses of accrued sick time for workers. It specifically updates Section 4(1) to allow sick time for medical care related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or violent crime; school meetings about a child's health or disability; and public health emergencies. The bill also refines notice requirements for employers, permitting advance notice up to 7 days for foreseeable absences. This amendment directly affects Michigan workers covered under the existing sick time law, ensuring clearer access to time off for health, family, and safety needs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands sick leave for medical care related to health issues, child health meetings, and public health emergencies, improving access to healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands sick leave uses for domestic violence, health meetings, and emergencies, strengthening worker benefits under Michigan's Earned Sick Time Act.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health Labor Standards Paid Leave

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in committee · Michigan · House Dec 17, 2025

HB 5375: Employment security: administration; assessment of penalties, interest, or fees on certain unpaid restitution of benefit overpayments; prohibit. Amends sec. 15 of 1936 (Ex Sess) PA 1 (MCL 421.15).

HB 5375 prohibits charging interest on unpaid restitution of overpaid unemployment benefits when the overpayment resulted from specific errors, such as agency mistakes, employer errors, or system issues - not the claimant's fault. It requires the unemployment agency to waive existing interest charges and refund payments made for those errors, with refunds due within 180 days of the law's effective date. The bill also stops interest from accruing during pending appeals and applies retroactively to overpayments from February 2020 through December 2026. This directly affects claimants who received overpayments due to errors beyond their control.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesProhibits interest charges on overpaid benefits, reducing state revenue from penalties and fees, directly weakening fiscal management of unemployment funds.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentPrevents unfair financial penalties on workers for unemployment overpayments caused by agency/employer errors, requiring refunds and waiving interest charges.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Unemployment

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passed · Michigan · Senate Apr 15, 2026

SB 296: Health facilities: hospitals; mandatory overtime for nurses; prohibit except under certain circumstances. Amends 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.1101 - 333.25211) by adding sec. 21526. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0297'25

Senate Bill 296 prohibits hospitals from requiring registered professional nurses to work beyond their regularly scheduled, on-call, or voluntarily agreed-upon hours. It mandates that nurses working 12 or more consecutive hours receive 8 consecutive hours of off-duty time immediately afterward. Exceptions to this prohibition include declared states of emergency, mass casualty incidents, certain patient-care procedures, and situations where an oncoming nurse is unexpectedly absent. The bill also protects nurses from retaliation if they refuse work assignments that exceed these limits and requires hospitals to post notices informing nurses of these provisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits mandatory nurse overtime and mandates rest periods, directly protecting healthcare workers' well-being to improve patient safety and care quality within healthcare facilities.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits mandatory overtime for nurses and mandates 8 hours off after 12-hour shifts, directly protecting worker rest periods and workplace safety under Labor: hours and wages.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Labor Standards

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in committee · Michigan · Senate Feb 19, 2025

SB 91: Individual income tax: deductions; exclusion of certain gratuities for tipped employees; provide for. Amends sec. 30 of 1967 PA 281 (MCL 206.30).

This bill (SB 91) amends Michigan's income tax code to exclude certain gratuities received by tipped employees from taxable income. It directly affects Michigan workers in service industries (like restaurants) who earn tips, allowing them to deduct specific tip income from their taxable earnings. The key provision modifies Section 30 of the Income Tax Act to add this exclusion, reducing the taxable income for eligible tipped workers. This change aligns Michigan's tax treatment with federal guidelines for tip income deductions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExcludes tips from taxable income for tipped workers, reducing their tax burden. Direct tax relief for lower-income service industry employees.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExcludes tips from taxable income for tipped workers, reducing tax burden and increasing take-home pay - directly supports workers' financial well-being in labor context.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · Michigan · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 4317: Labor: hours and wages; employer violations regarding the payment of wages and fringe benefits; increase sanctions for. Amends sec. 18 of 1978 PA 390 (MCL 408.488).

HB 4317 increases the financial penalties for Michigan employers who violate laws regarding the payment of wages and fringe benefits to their employees. It raises the annual penalty rate on unpaid wages and benefits from 10% to 100% once a complaint is filed. For flagrant or repeated violations, the bill increases the maximum exemplary damages an employer could be ordered to pay from twice to three times the amount owed. Additionally, the maximum civil fine that can be assessed against an employer for violating the act would increase from $1,000 to $10,000.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases penalties for wage/benefit violations from 10% to 100% and raises exemplary damages from 2x to 3x, strengthening worker protections against employer noncompliance.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Michigan · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 4322: Labor: hours and wages; penalties and remedies for misclassification of independent contractors; provide for. Amends secs. 1, 13, 15, 18 & 19 of 1978 PA 390 (MCL 408.471 et seq.) & adds secs. 13c & 13d.

House Bill 4322 amends Michigan's wage and fringe benefits act, primarily addressing the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, which affects both employers and individuals performing work. The bill establishes a new legal definition for "independent contractor" and explicitly prohibits employers from classifying, reporting, or treating an employee as an independent contractor, placing the burden of proof on the alleged violator. It significantly increases penalties for misclassification, including a 100% annual penalty on unpaid wages and benefits, up to triple exemplary damages, and a civil fine up to $10,000. For misclassification violations, 50% of collected penalties and damages will be paid to the affected employee, and a new "wages and fringe benefits fund" is created to support enforcement.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentPrevents misclassification of employees as contractors, imposes penalties, shifts burden of proof to employers - strengthens worker protections under wage laws.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards

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in committee · Michigan · House May 7, 2025

HB 4441: Labor: youth employment; youth employment standards act; modify penalties for certain violations. Amends secs. 3, 21 & 22 of 1978 PA 90 (MCL 409.103 et seq.).

House Bill 4441 amends Michigan's Youth Employment Standards Act. It expands the types of jobs minors can hold, allowing those 11 and older to work as bridge caddies and 13 and older to set traps for shooting events. The bill strengthens enforcement by granting the Department of Labor Director authority to impose administrative fines up to $5,000 per violation and take legal action, including requiring employers to pay awards to affected minors. Additionally, it prohibits employers from retaliating against employees or minors who exercise their rights under the act. Finally, the bill significantly increases criminal penalties for employers who violate the act, particularly in cases where a minor is killed or suffers great bodily harm while working, introducing mandatory fines and potential imprisonment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentStrengthens youth employment protections by expanding enforcement powers (fines, legal action), prohibiting retaliation, and clarifying standards for minor workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards

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