ACHE – Vote NO October 3! (Early Voting Underway)

We need CARNM Members to help protect businesses! Inform business owners what to do if the sick leave ordinance passes. It is important that we help bring awareness to businesses by forwarding on this information. Lorna Wiggins, a human resource attorney, has provided a summary of the steps business owners are recommended to take within 90 days if the proposed sick leave ordinance is approved.

Read More – What to do as a Business Owner
Dear CARNM Members and Customers/Clients:
We have had many victories in our attempt to promote pro-business messages against the sick leave initiative in Albuquerque. We won the attempt to keep the initiative off of the 2016 November ballot. We won the argument against putting a misleading summary on the ballot. And we hope to win our lawsuit claiming that ballot initiatives are a fraud on the voter and unconstitutional. But we haven’t won yet…
All of that aside, this “Healthy Workforce Ordinance” will be on the October 3rd ballot with all of its anti-business regulation. We have conducted polling that leads us to believe that, using the right messages with likely voters, we can win this at the ballot.
We are asking for $1,000 from 100 businesses in Albuquerque to get this campaign kicked off. We will need $200,000 to win but this gets us started. Please be a part of the solution by giving $1,000 right now. Write a $1,000 Check to the Albuquerque Coalition for a Healthy Economy (ACHE), send it to 9201 Montgomery NE, Suite 602, Albuquerque, NM 87111 or go to ABQche.org and donate to the cause online.
If you are reading this and don’t think you or your company will be affected by the anti-business regulations in the ordinance, go to ABQche.org and calculate how much this will cost your company. We can promise you $1,000 is nothing compared to what this ordinance will cost your business in hard costs as well as potential litigation. Consider giving a smaller amount if that is all you can afford.
Top Reasons You should be VERY concerned about SICK LEAVE on the October Ballot in Albuquerque

1. All Employers: Large, Small, for Profit, Charities and Nonprofits will have to pay sick leave to…
2. All Employees: full-time, part-time, and temporary, will get 1 hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked, beginning on the first day of work!
3. If the employer takes ANY ADVERSE ACTION against an employee within 90 days of taking sick leave, it is presumed the employer is retaliating against the employee, which is a punishable violation under this ordinance.
4. Your Sick Leave Policy Will Change to be in compliance with the ordinance (unless it is based on a collective bargaining agreement).
5. If the employer requires a doctor’s note to prove sickness, the employer pays for the doctor’s visit.
6. The ordinance includes mandates and inflexible reporting which will add significant administrative burden to employers no matter the size.
7. The City Attorney can audit and investigate your records with penalties payable to the city. This is monetary incentive for the city to ensure non-compliance.
8. Triple monetary damages and payment for attorney’s to the employee if they prevail. Nothing for the employer if they prevail.
9. The ordinance allows for punitive litigation including: Class Action, three times monetary damages including lost wages, possible reinstatement, civil penalties of $50 per week per employee, employees attorney fees.
10. This ordinance cannot be changed by the City Council.
11. You can calculate the cost to your business at www.abqche.org.

CARNM Board of Directors