Round 1 of the Council budget review concluded on Monday. Now we move into the phase of the budget where it’s important for people to express their support for the budget action items they favor. During the next week, councilmembers will be gauging public support on items that could make it into the budget package […]
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October 30, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Okamoto
Stopping Homelessness Before It Starts
Originally posted at The Seattle Times. Does the City Council have the political will to redirect spending for programs that help prevent homelessness from happening? PREVENTION is Seattle’s best-kept secret to answering homelessness. As the city pours resources into shelters, the city’s homeless population continues to grow. And while sheltering is an immediate necessity — […]
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October 29, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Licata, News Releases
Study Finds Dismal Enforcement of Paid Sick Leave, Licata Urges Remedies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/29/2015
Study Finds Dismal Enforcement of Paid Sick Leave, Licata Urges Remedies
SEATTLE - A study released today from the Restaurant Opportunity Center has found that, as relates to paid sick and safe leave benefits, only 37.4% of restaurant workers in Seattle are aware of the law and 73.5% report that they don't have access to paid sick leave. Further, in violation of wage theft laws, 20.5% of restaurant workers in the Seattle area report having worked off the clock without pay in the past year and 38.8% report that they are not paid 1.5 times the normal wage when they work overtime in violation of federal laws.
Councilmember Nick Licata reviewed the report findings, and believes that the Council should address:
- Better enforcement, including:
- company-wide investigations without requiring complaints
- a private right of action
- remedies that act as a greater deterrence
- Improved outreach to workers about their rights, including:
- retaliation protection
- provisions to encourage reporting of violations such as non-immigrant status visa certification for employees that report wage theft
In late 2014, the Council requested that the Executive deliver recommendations in April, 2015 for better enforcement of Seattle's historic labor laws. Delivery of the recommendations was postponed until July, 2015 with agreement with the Council. The Council has yet to receive recommendations from the Executive.
Councilmember Nick Licata said, "I appreciate the desire of the Mayor to negotiate with business and employee interests to come to agreement on how to move forward but if we believe that our labor laws are only as good as their enforcement at some point, we have to propose legislation and let the legislative process run its course."
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Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.
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October 29, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Licata, News Releases
Study Finds Dismal Enforcement of Paid Sick Leave, Licata Urges Remedies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/29/2015
Study Finds Dismal Enforcement of Paid Sick Leave, Licata Urges Remedies
SEATTLE - A study released today from the Restaurant Opportunity Center has found that, as relates to paid sick and safe leave benefits, only 37.4% of restaurant workers in Seattle are aware of the law and 73.5% report that they don't have access to paid sick leave. Further, in violation of wage theft laws, 20.5% of restaurant workers in the Seattle area report having worked off the clock without pay in the past year and 38.8% report that they are not paid 1.5 times the normal wage when they work overtime in violation of federal laws.
Councilmember Nick Licata reviewed the report findings, and believes that the Council should address:
- Better enforcement, including:
- company-wide investigations without requiring complaints
- a private right of action
- remedies that act as a greater deterrence
- Improved outreach to workers about their rights, including:
- retaliation protection
- provisions to encourage reporting of violations such as non-immigrant status visa certification for employees that report wage theft
In late 2014, the Council requested that the Executive deliver recommendations in April, 2015 for better enforcement of Seattle's historic labor laws. Delivery of the recommendations was postponed until July, 2015 with agreement with the Council. The Council has yet to receive recommendations from the Executive.
Councilmember Nick Licata said, "I appreciate the desire of the Mayor to negotiate with business and employee interests to come to agreement on how to move forward but if we believe that our labor laws are only as good as their enforcement at some point, we have to propose legislation and let the legislative process run its course."
# # #
Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.
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October 29, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Rasmussen
Budget Priorities
Seattle’s Annual Budget Process is underway! Every year the Seattle City Council is tasked with evaluating the Mayor’s Proposed Budget. I believe this process should be as open and transparent as possible, so I’ve decided to link you to some existing websites that I believe are valuable resources for following this process as an educated […]
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October 27, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Burgess
Round 1 Budget Proposals
Budget deliberations have kicked into high gear here at City Hall. The first deadline for proposals to secure a baseline support of three councilmembers comes this Wednesday. After a couple more rounds of discussion over the next three weeks, the...
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October 22, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Godden
#PurpleThursday
Today is #PurpleThursday, a day to wear purple to raise awareness around domestic violence. Domestic violence impacts us all – families, friends, co-workers and communities. And, sadly, it is the leading cause of injury to women, although everyone along the gender spectrum too, can be victims.
This #PurpleThursday though, I’d like to also raise awareness about the support available to victims of Domestic Violence as well as workplace violence. Let’s talk about paid leave from work through Seattle’s Safe Time ordinance.
Seattle made national headlines in 2011, when the City Council passed and the then mayor, Mike McGinn, signed into law the Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance (PSST for short).
Under the law, Seattle workers who have been employed 180 days now accrue paid time off, based on the … Continue Reading »
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October 21, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Burgess
More Sidewalks for Less Money
Today Mayor Murray and I announced new strategies to construct more sidewalks for less money. For decades, neighborhood advocates have pushed the City to provide sidewalks to the areas that have none, but the biggest hurdle has been cost. Traditional...
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October 20, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Licata
Letter to Ethics and Elections Commission Requesting Ethics Code Fix
Below is a press statement from earlier today regarding a request to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission re: closing a loophole Councilmember Licata Calls for Fix to Ethics Code in Response to Developer Shakedown SEATTLE – Councilmember Nick Licata delivered a letter to the Seattle Ethics & Elections Commission (SEEC) today, asking that the […]
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October 20, 2015January 6, 2023Councilmember Licata, News Releases
Councilmember Licata Calls for Fix to Ethics Code in Response to Developer Shakedown
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/20/2015
Councilmember Licata Calls for Fix to Ethics Code in Response to Developer Shakedown
SEATTLE - Councilmember Nick Licata delivered a letter to the Seattle Ethics & Elections Commission (SEEC) today, asking that the independent body develop legislation intended to sanction people or organizations that attempt to bargain with candidates by threatening to use independent expenditures in local elections. The request comes in response to a recent Seattle Times report on allegations that a then-employee of Triad Development Group approached a candidate running for local office and offered to help make a $200,000 independent expenditure "go away," in exchange for settling a lawsuit.
Licata asked the SEEC to develop a solution to ensure any future similar independent expenditure coordination is clearly illegal. While Seattle has laws governing independent expenditures, there don't appear to be laws governing potential independent expenditures.
"Public trust is undermined by the lack of a clear, unambiguous prohibition in the Seattle Ethics and Elections Code of these activities that could be construed as unethical coercion at best, extortion at worst. Clear lines must be established," wrote Councilmember Licata in his letter. He added, "Even an appearance of potential corruption deeply damages our civic life."
The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission is an independent committee of seven citizen volunteers. The Commission is responsible for interpreting and applying the Seattle Ethics, Elections, Election Pamphlet, and Whistleblower Protection Codes and the City's Lobbying Regulations.
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Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.