Labor & Employment (Labor Standards)

introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 11, 2025

LC 1499: Revise county deputy sheriff compensation

This bill updates how deputy sheriffs in Montana are paid by changing the percentage of a sheriff's salary used to calculate their compensation. It directly affects deputy sheriffs across the state by establishing new pay ranges based on county population size, with smaller counties using higher percentages than larger ones. The law requires sheriffs to set deputy salaries within specific percentage ranges while also allowing adjustments based on rank within the office. Additionally, the bill clarifies that compensation refers only to base pay, excluding overtime and longevity payments when calculating these percentages.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases deputy sheriff compensation by establishing new pay ranges based on county population, directly strengthening wages and salaries for law enforcement workers.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 22, 2025

LC 2528: Establish requirement for paid sick days

This bill establishes the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, requiring employers with 10 or more employees to provide paid sick leave to their workers. Under the new law, employees earn at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, up to a maximum of 80 hours per year, with the option to carry unused leave forward to the next year. The paid leave can be used for personal illness, family medical needs, domestic violence situations, sexual assault, or preventive health care, and employers must maintain confidential records of leave requests. The Department of Labor and Industry is authorized to enforce the policy, while employers offering similar leave through collective bargaining agreements or providing more generous benefits may qualify for exceptions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates paid sick leave for workers, enabling access to healthcare during illness and protecting employee health rights.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill establishes paid sick leave requirements for employers, expanding worker benefits and protecting employee health rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards Paid Leave

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 24, 2025

LC 213: Revise laws relating to apprenticeship programs

This bill updates Montana's apprenticeship laws to clarify the roles of the Department of Labor and Industry and ensure apprenticeship programs remain voluntary for employers. It requires the department to register and oversee apprenticeship agreements, report biennially to the governor and legislature, and use prevailing wage rates as a baseline for calculating apprentice wages. The bill also specifies that apprentices must be at least 16 years old and receive at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job training plus 144 hours of related instruction annually, while allowing credit for prior training or experience up to 50%. Employers retain the option to transfer training obligations to approved facilities and may request termination during a probationary period.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill strengthens apprenticeship programs by clarifying roles, ensuring voluntary participation, and establishing wage baselines, protecting worker training opportunities.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Apprenticeships Labor Standards Professional Licensing

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 25, 2025

LC 1421: Revise labor law relating to computation of meal allowances

This bill updates Montana state law to clarify how meal allowances are calculated for employees working night shifts. It directly affects state employees who travel for work and changes the specific time windows during which they can receive meal reimbursements based on their shift schedule. Under the new rules, night-shift workers would be eligible for different meal allowance periods, including an early morning allowance between 3:01 a.m. and noon, while also limiting the number of allowances they can receive based on the length and timing of their travel. The legislation also maintains special provisions for appointed members of state boards and committees attending meetings, while excluding legislative committee members during active sessions.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill clarifies meal allowance calculations for night-shift workers, expanding eligibility and protecting worker benefits under labor law.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 11, 2025

LC 1664: Revise minimum wage laws to provide increases

This bill raises Montana's minimum wage to $12.06 per hour and establishes a cost-of-living adjustment mechanism that automatically updates the rate annually based on changes in the consumer price index. The law applies to most employers but maintains a $4 minimum wage for businesses with annual gross sales of $110,000 or less. The new wage rate and automatic adjustment provisions take effect on July 1, 2025, replacing the previous fixed dollar amount in state law.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases minimum wage and establishes cost-of-living adjustments to protect workers' earnings95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Nov 19, 2024

LC 112: Modify holidays for certain employees and create an annual floating holiday

This bill removes State General Election Day as a paid holiday for legislative employees while introducing a new annual floating holiday for qualified staff. The floating holiday allows eligible legislative employees to take one paid day off anytime during the year, subject to supervisor approval and scheduling. The legislation also clarifies definitions for various employee categories and holiday observances within the legislative branch. These changes directly affect legislative employees and modify how holidays are administered under Montana state law.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill removes a paid holiday for legislative employees, reducing their benefits and paid time off, which limits worker benefits.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 10, 2025

LC 664: Revising laws related to workers' compensation definition of wages

This bill updates Montana's workers' compensation laws to clarify how wages are defined, particularly regarding lodging and housing benefits. It requires the Department of Labor and Industry to annually revise administrative rules that set monetary values for lodging and housing when calculating wage equivalents for compensation purposes. The legislation also clarifies which income sources count as wages for benefits calculations and which expenses are excluded, such as retirement contributions and employee reimbursements. Additionally, it establishes specific methods for calculating average wages when employees have multiple jobs or work for less than four pay periods before an injury occurs.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill clarifies and updates workers' compensation wage definitions, protecting worker benefits and ensuring fair compensation calculations for injured employees.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workers' Compensation

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died · Montana · Legislature May 22, 2025

LC 4288: Generally revise independent contractor exemption laws

LC 4288 aimed to revise laws governing independent contractor exemptions, which would have affected workers classified as independent contractors and businesses using such arrangements. The bill sought to update the criteria for determining independent contractor status, potentially altering how workers' rights and business obligations are defined. However, the bill was placed on hold in April 2025 and ultimately died in the drafting process without advancing further. No specific provisions or mechanisms were finalized, as the bill never progressed beyond the draft stage.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill revises independent contractor rules to potentially expand worker protections and rights under Labor & Employment laws, aligning with support indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards Workers' Compensation

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died · Montana · Legislature May 24, 2025

LC 1252: Generally revise laws related to illegal undocumented alien employment

This bill (LC 1252) proposed revisions to state laws concerning employment of undocumented immigrants. It did not become law, as it died in the legislative process on May 24, 2025, after being drafted but not advanced further. The bill's title indicates it aimed to change regulations around unauthorized employment, but no specific provisions or affected groups were detailed in the provided context. Since it never passed, it did not implement any policy changes.

Topics ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationBill title targets 'illegal undocumented alien employment' with no pro-immigrant indicators, implying restrictive enforcement on undocumented worker access.80% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill targets restrictions on undocumented workers' employment, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of limiting employment access.85% confidence

Sub-Topics DACA & Dreamers Driver Licenses & IDs Work Authorization Child Labor Gig Economy Labor Standards

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died · Montana · Legislature May 26, 2025

LC 1580: Expand child labor laws to include digital labor practices

Bill LC 1580, titled "Expand child labor laws to include digital labor practices," proposed to update existing child labor regulations to cover digital work performed by minors, such as creating social media content, participating in online gigs, or engaging in digital content creation. The bill would have required businesses and platforms employing minors in digital work to comply with age restrictions and hour limits similar to traditional child labor laws. However, the bill died in the legislative process on May 26, 2025, and did not become law, so no policy changes were implemented.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands child labor protections to digital work, strengthening minor workers' rights under Labor & Employment regulations.90% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill imposes restrictions on digital labor practices (e.g., content creation, online gigs) by minors via age/hour limits, limiting technology use in labor contexts rather than advancing tech policy.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Gig Economy Labor Standards Online Safety Social Media

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