Sick leave heads to Wis. Supreme Court (UPDATE)

By Sean Ryan

The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Wednesday accepted the lawsuit over Milwaukee’s sick leave law.

A state court of appeals in February refused to issue an opinion on the lawsuit, and instead asked the supreme court to decide the case.

The lawsuit is between the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, which opposes the sick leave law, and 9to5, National Association of Working Women. The 9to5 organization got the law approved through a referendum in November 2008.

Tom Sheehan, Wisconsin court information officer, said the Supreme Court accepted the case but has not set a date to hear oral arguments from the parties.

Sangita Nayak, lead organizer for the Milwaukee chapter of 9to5, said the organization wants to see the law, as approved by voters in 2008, enacted. The city, by court order, has not enforced the law.

“We’re committed to seeing paid sick days through,” she said.

The 9to5 organization appealed the case after a Milwaukee County Circuit Court ruled in favor of the MMAC.

“We’re pleased we’ll have our opportunity to state our case to the Supreme Court,” said Steve Baas, MMAC director of government affairs, “and that this court will now have jurisdiction over all of the arguments in this case.”

The lawsuit is over a city of Milwaukee law that, if enacted, would require workers get at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked in Milwaukee.

Companies with fewer than 10 workers must offer at least five sick days, and larger companies must let employees accrue at least nine days.