HB 4516 amends Michigan's unemployment benefits law to clarify when workers lose eligibility for benefits due to leaving jobs. It shifts the burden of proof to claimants to prove they left work "involuntarily" for employer-related reasons, rather than assuming voluntary departure. The bill adds specific exceptions where benefits aren't charged to employers, including for domestic violence victims, military spouses relocating due to service, and part-time workers switching employers. These changes directly affect unemployed workers applying for benefits who left their jobs, ensuring clearer standards for disqualification and employer accountability.
HB 4758 requires Michigan Works agencies to create teams providing job transition services to two groups: individuals who lost federal jobs involuntarily between January 2025 and January 2027 (dislocated federal employees), and veterans. The bill mandates these teams to analyze job matches with public employers, assess transferable skills, and refer individuals to both public and private employers needing staff. It also requires assistance with filing for unemployment benefits under Michigan’s existing employment security system. The law applies specifically to Michigan Works agencies and public employers like state/local governments, schools, and community colleges. This bill creates a new coordination framework but does not establish new benefits or funding.
HB 4753 amends Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to restore protections for employees regarding pregnancy, childbirth, and termination of pregnancy by removing a 2023 exclusion that previously excluded "nontherapeutic abortion not intended to save the life of the mother." It directly affects employees and employers covered by the act, ensuring pregnancy-related conditions - including termination of pregnancy - are treated as protected categories under anti-discrimination law. The key provision redefines "sex" in Section 201 to include pregnancy termination without the 2023 exception, and updates Section 202 to prohibit employment discrimination based on these conditions. This bill reverses a prior amendment, restoring the original language that explicitly covered pregnancy-related medical conditions.
HB 4075 amends Michigan's minimum wage law to gradually increase the hourly wage for most workers. It sets specific rates starting at $10.00 in 2019, rising to $20.00 by 2030, with annual adjustments for inflation beginning in 2022. The inflation adjustment uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) and takes effect January 1 each year, unless unemployment exceeds 8.5% in the prior year. This bill directly affects low-wage workers and employers across Michigan who must comply with the updated wage schedule.
SB 319 amends Michigan's public employee collective bargaining law to require that minimum staffing levels within a bargaining unit become a mandatory topic for negotiation between public employers and employee representatives. This applies specifically to public employees covered under 1969 PA 312 (which includes most state and local government workers like teachers, nurses, and first responders), making staffing levels a required subject of bargaining alongside wages and hours. The bill includes a limited exception: if a public employer faces reduced state funding or property tax revenue, it may choose whether to negotiate staffing levels, but must otherwise include them in bargaining. The change directly affects public sector workplaces where employee bargaining units exist, ensuring staffing levels cannot be unilaterally set by employers without negotiation.
HB 4040 bans most noncompete agreements between employers and workers in Michigan, directly affecting employees, contractors, interns, and volunteers. It prohibits employers from entering into, obtaining, enforcing, or even claiming that noncompete agreements apply to workers, except for two specific cases: (1) business owners selling their business, or (2) high-earning workers (over 200% of the federal poverty line for a family of three) with agreements limited to one year. The bill voids illegal agreements and allows workers to sue for damages, including lost wages and legal costs, if employers try to enforce prohibited terms. It specifically preserves agreements protecting trade secrets or restricting solicitation for qualifying high-earning workers.
Senate Bill 7 (SB 7) proposes changes to Michigan's code of criminal procedure, specifically concerning sentencing guidelines. The bill focuses on establishing or modifying these guidelines for certain violations committed by employers. It amends section 14b of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 777.14b). These changes would directly affect how sentences are determined for employers found guilty of specific offenses.
SB 496 amends Michigan's Youth Employment Standards Act to restore previous work permit requirements and update related rules. It shifts the responsibility for issuing work permits from school officials to the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity after an 18-month transition period. The bill clarifies exceptions allowing minors as young as 11 to work in specific roles like sports refereeing, golf caddying, or farm work during school breaks, while maintaining safety standards for all youth employment. These changes directly affect minors under 18 seeking jobs, employers hiring them, schools issuing permits, and the Department of Labor enforcing the law. The bill also modifies penalties for violations and removes certain outdated provisions.
HB 4762 allows youth aged 16 or older to work in residential building construction under specific safety conditions. It requires minors to hold an OSHA 10-hour certification, complete a state-approved trades program, and work under direct supervision by a qualified adult (21+ with OSHA certification and 2+ years experience). The bill prohibits work on structures over 6 feet tall (like roofs or scaffolding) and restricts employment to single-family home renovations. This directly affects 16+ year olds seeking construction work in Michigan, expanding opportunities while prioritizing safety through mandatory training and supervision.
SB 497 amends Michigan's sentencing guidelines to specifically address violations of the Youth Employment Standards Act. It modifies section 14b of the Code of Criminal Procedure (MCL 777.14b) to adjust the sentencing rules for offenses related to youth employment laws. This change directly affects employers who violate rules governing minors' working hours, safety, or other protections under the Youth Employment Standards Act. The bill updates the criminal procedure code to reflect these specific sentencing considerations for youth employment violations.
