Labor & Employment (Labor Standards)

in committee · Michigan · House Apr 30, 2025

HB 4409: Labor: fair employment practices; written job descriptions; require employers to create and disclose to job applicants and certain employees, and establish sanctions and remedies for a violation. Amends title & sec. 18 of 1978 PA 390 (MCL 408.488) & adds sec. 9a.

House Bill 4409 requires employers in Michigan to create and maintain a written job description for every position, directly affecting employers, job applicants, and current employees. These descriptions must detail essential duties, required skills, working conditions, schedule, and salary information. Employers must provide the applicable job description to applicants during recruitment, hiring, or promotion, and to any employee upon request. Current employees must also be given an opportunity to review and initial any revised job description before it is applied to them. Violations can lead to escalating civil fines for employers and allow aggrieved individuals to sue for actual damages or $10,000, plus attorney fees.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates written job descriptions with salary details, promoting transparency and fair hiring practices under labor law, directly protecting worker rights and reducing discrimination risks.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Michigan · House May 7, 2025

HB 4456: Labor: fair employment practices; employer monitoring of employee communications; prohibit unless the employer establishes an employee monitoring policy and discloses that policy to employees. Creates new act.

House Bill 4456 regulates how employers in Michigan monitor their employees' communications. It prohibits employers from monitoring employee communications unless they establish a written policy that is disclosed to and acknowledged by each employee. This policy must specify the methods, media, types, and frequency of monitoring, and applies only to electronic devices owned by the employer. The bill explicitly prohibits monitoring personal employee devices. Employers who violate these provisions may be liable for damages to the affected employee, including a minimum of $5,000 plus attorney fees.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits employer monitoring without written policy disclosure, protecting employee communication privacy under fair employment practices.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyProhibits employer monitoring without written policy disclosure, protects employee data privacy on personal devices, directly advancing data privacy protections in technology policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Michigan · House May 7, 2025

HB 4448: Labor: other; cause for termination of employment; require. Creates new act.

House Bill 4448, known as the "Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act," aims to protect employees in Michigan by prohibiting employers from terminating their employment without cause. Under this bill, a discharge is considered wrongful if it's in retaliation for an employee reporting or refusing to violate public policy, is not for "just cause" after a probationary period, or violates the employer's own written policies. The bill defines "just cause" and limits employee probationary periods to a maximum of three months. Employees who believe they have been wrongfully discharged can either file a lawsuit to recover lost wages and potentially punitive damages, or file a complaint with the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, which will investigate and attempt to resolve the issue.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits termination without cause, protects against retaliation for reporting violations, defines 'just cause' to strengthen worker protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination Labor Standards

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in committee · Michigan · House May 7, 2025

HB 4439: Labor: health and safety; employee communication regarding an occupational safety and health practice or hazard; prohibit an employer from taking an adverse employment action based on. Amends 1974 PA 154 (MCL 408.1001 - 408.1094) by adding sec. 66a.

House Bill 4439 amends the Michigan occupational safety and health act to protect employees who refuse to work due to a reasonable belief of exposure to a communicable disease or unsafe condition. This protection applies if the employee first requested the employer to correct the issue, the issue was not corrected, and the employee reported it to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA). If an employee is not reassigned under these circumstances, the employer must pay their wages for the period the condition remains uncorrected. The bill also creates a presumption of employer violation if adverse action is taken against an employee within 90 days of them engaging in these protected activities.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProtects employees from adverse actions when reporting safety hazards, requiring employer correction and payment if not reassigned, directly strengthening workplace safety protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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in committee · Michigan · House May 7, 2025

HB 4437: Labor: health and safety; Michigan occupational safety and health violations; modify civil penalties. Amends sec. 35 of 1974 PA 154 (MCL 408.1035).

HB 4437 amends the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act (MIOSHA) to modify civil penalties for workplace safety violations. The bill changes the maximum civil penalty amounts for various violations, such as serious or willful offenses, to be equivalent to federal OSHA penalties. It also requires the state director to initiate administrative rules to update Michigan's penalties to match any changes in federal penalties. This legislation directly affects employers in Michigan by linking potential MIOSHA fines to federal standards.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAmends MIOSHA to align civil penalties with federal OSHA standards, strengthening workplace safety enforcement by ensuring penalties match federal protections.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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in committee · Michigan · Senate May 14, 2025

SB 6: Labor: fair employment practices; various employer requirements; provide for. Amends secs. 1, 7, 11, 13, 13a, 14, 15, 18 & 19 of 1978 PA 390 (MCL 408.471 et seq.) & adds secs. 13c & 13d.

SB 6 updates Michigan's wage law to strengthen employee protections around pay deductions. It requires written employee consent for most wage deductions (including charitable contributions to nonprofits) and limits overpayment deductions to 15% of gross wages without consent. The bill clarifies that fringe benefits (like vacation pay) are separate from wages and creates new rules for employers dealing with independent contractors. These changes directly affect employers across Michigan and their employees who receive wages or fringe benefits.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires written consent for wage deductions, limits overpayment deductions to 15% without consent, and clarifies fringe benefits separate from wages - directly strengthening worker protections in wage practices.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · Michigan · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 4075: Labor: hours and wages; minimum wage; modify. Amends sec. 4 of 2018 PA 337 (MCL 408.934).

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.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases minimum wage from $10/hr (2019) to $20/hr (2030) with inflation adjustments, directly strengthening worker compensation and protecting low-wage earners.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage Unemployment

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in committee · Michigan · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 4040: Labor: fair employment practices; certain noncompete agreements; prohibit employers from requiring employees to enter into unless certain conditions are met. Amends sec. 4a of 1984 PA 274 (MCL 445.774a).

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.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBans most noncompete agreements, protecting worker mobility and rights by prohibiting restrictive clauses except for narrow exceptions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Michigan · Senate May 14, 2025

SB 7: Criminal procedure: sentencing guidelines; sentencing guidelines for certain employer violations; provide for. Amends sec. 14b of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 777.14b). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0006'25

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.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAmends sentencing guidelines for employer violations, strengthening enforcement of labor laws against violators by establishing criminal penalties for noncompliance.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Michigan · Senate Aug 13, 2025

SB 496: Labor: youth employment; youth employment standards act; restore former provisions and modify penalties. Amends title & secs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 20, 21 & 22 of 1978 PA 90 (MCL 409.102 et seq.) & repeals secs. 4a, 4b, 4c & 4d of 1978 PA 90 (MCL 409.104a et seq.). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0497'25

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.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRestores work permit requirements and maintains safety standards for youth employment, strengthening protections for minor workers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards

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