Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou

Maddy summaryThis Michigan bill creates a new program allowing employers to obtain a "fair paycheck workplace certificate" by demonstrating that they pay employees with different protected characteristics, such as race or gender, within a 5% compensation range. To qualify, businesses must submit detailed payroll records and employee demographic data to the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, which will then issue a certificate valid for six months initially and renewable annually. The legislation also mandates that employers cannot falsely claim to hold this certification and establishes a public online database where anyone can verify an employer's status. Additionally, the state director is required to set application fees and promulgate specific rules to implement the program's administrative procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Michigan's sentencing guidelines to establish specific penalty ranges for drivers who fail to avoid causing the death of a blind person or their service animal. By amending existing criminal procedure laws, it sets the maximum prison sentence for this specific offense at 15 years and the maximum for the death of the service animal at 5 years. The legislation also adjusts sentencing limits for several other crimes, including nitrous oxide distribution and public disorder offenses, to ensure consistent judicial application. However, the bill will not take effect unless a companion bill, HB 5405, is also passed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's penal code to strengthen penalties for employers who discriminate against workers by paying them different wages based on sex, religion, race, or other protected characteristics. Under the proposed changes, an employer found guilty of such wage discrimination commits a misdemeanor and faces fines that increase with company size, ranging from $5,000 for businesses with 1 to 15 employees up to $20,000 for those with more than 50 employees. The legislation also maintains existing protections against assigning tasks disproportionate to a female worker's strength or employing women in roles detrimental to their health or potential for motherhood. While the bill clarifies that wage differences based on factors unrelated to protected status are not violations, it does not alter the underlying requirement that similarly employed individuals receive equal pay regardless of gender.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires employers in Michigan to create and maintain written job descriptions for every position. These descriptions must list essential duties, required skills and training, working conditions, and salary information. Employers must provide these documents to job applicants during the hiring process and to current employees upon request. Additionally, any changes to a job description cannot take effect until the affected employee has reviewed and signed off on the update.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to strengthen protections against wage discrimination by requiring the Department of Civil Rights to maintain an anonymous reporting system. Specifically, it mandates the creation of a dedicated telephone line and a public website featuring an easy-to-use form that allows individuals to report violations without revealing their identity. The legislation also updates the department's investigative procedures to ensure the anonymity of anyone who files a complaint or assists in the investigation of alleged discrimination. These changes directly affect employees and employers in Michigan by providing a more secure channel for reporting unfair pay practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for drivers who fail to take necessary precautions around blind pedestrians using travel aids like canes, walkers, or guide dogs. It directly affects vehicle operators and blind individuals by clarifying that a blind person's failure to use these aids cannot be used as evidence of negligence in injury or death cases. The legislation establishes specific misdemeanor and felony charges with higher fines and potential jail time for violations that result in injury or the death of a blind person or their service animal. Additionally, it mandates that peace officers investigate reported violations and requires prosecutors to inform the blind pedestrian of their decision to charge, along with the reasons for that decision.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to strengthen protections against employment discrimination and unequal pay. It allows individuals who win a case to receive triple the amount of damages they would normally get and clarifies that these damages include reasonable attorney fees. Additionally, the bill changes the rule for when a legal claim starts, setting the date to when the employee actually learns about the violation rather than when it happened. The law also specifies that lawsuits can be filed in the county where the incident occurred or where the employer is based. These changes take effect 90 days after the bill becomes official law.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state agencies from awarding construction contracts to companies that do not hold a Fair Paycheck Workplace Certificate, aiming to ensure fair labor practices in state-funded projects. It also mandates that construction contracts be awarded to the responsive and responsible best value bidder, a determination based on price, technical design, personnel quality, and other qualitative factors. Additionally, the legislation requires a preference of up to 10% of the contract amount to be given to qualified disabled veterans who are the lowest bidders. While maintaining a preference for Michigan-based firms and clean corporate citizens in general state purchases, the primary new restriction specifically targets the construction sector by barring vendors without the required labor certification from receiving state contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Michigan employers from paying different wages to employees performing equal work based on protected attributes such as race, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, height, weight, or marital status. It establishes that wage differences are only permissible if they result from a seniority system, a merit-based system, a production measurement system, or other factors unrelated to these protected characteristics. Additionally, the legislation ensures that an employer cannot lower an employee's current wage rate simply to comply with the new equal pay requirements. By repealing a conflicting provision in a previous workforce act, this law strengthens protections against wage discrimination for workers across various industries.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases disposal fees for nonhazardous solid waste and coal ash in Michigan landfills, with higher rates for general waste and lower rates for specific industrial byproducts. Landfill owners and operators must collect these new surcharges from waste generators and pay them quarterly to the state, while captive facilities face fixed annual fees based on their waste volume. The collected funds are distributed among several state accounts, including a new host communities grant fund that provides direct financial support to the cities and townships where these landfills are located. Additionally, the bill establishes a mechanism to adjust these fees every five years based on inflation to maintain their real value over time.