A mandatory sick-leave policy to apply citywide to St. Paul public and private employers continues to draw debate as it makes its way through hearings before it reaches the city council, possibly later this summer.

During a crowded public hearing this week, members of St. Paul’s Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission heard from supporters and opponents.

David Weiss told commission members Tuesday that he juggles multiple jobs to make ends meet, including a position as a grocery deliverer.

Weiss said he worries that taking a day off when he’s sick will make it difficult to pay his bills. But if he works while sick, he could put the elderly clients he brings food to at risk.

“Many times, they’re having their groceries delivered because their health is such they’re not able to do their own shopping any longer,” said Weiss, a member of the faith-based public policy group ISAIAH.

Michael Schumann argued against the measure.

As the owner of the Traditions furniture store on Grand Avenue, he knows firsthand how hard it is for mom-and-pop retailers to make ends meet. For small businesses like his own, it could be financially disastrous to abide by regulations that don’t apply to competitors outside of the city — such as big-box stores.

“We’re practically the only furniture store left in St. Paul,” said Schumann, adding that several of his longtime employees have suffered from cancer. He said he has always worked to accommodate their schedules. “We love our employees. We love our business.”

The commission recently received a wide-ranging list of recommendations from a city task force assembled to study the specifics of what might go into a sick-time ordinance.

A draft ordinance will be published Thursday.

A public survey on the recommendations closes July 8, and a public survey on the draft ordinance closes July 14.

The commission will vote on the recommendations and draft ordinance July 19, and the results will be forwarded to the city council, which likely will set its own hearing in August or September.

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St. Stanislaus’ longtime priest the Rev. John Clay leaves legacy of love. He died Sunday at age 94 The proposal generally resembles the earned sick and safe time policy adopted in Minneapolis last month, with at least one major exception.

Following a lengthy and sometimes emotional process, the Minneapolis City Council in late May adopted paid sick-leave policies for employers with six or more workers. In St. Paul, however, the task force recommendations make no exceptions based on the size of the business.

Among the St. Paul task force’s recommendations:

The earned sick-leave policies would apply to all employees who work in the city, whether their employer is public or private.

Employees begin accruing earned sick leave after working their first 80 hours on the job. After that, they’ll earn one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

The maximum number of sick-leave hours an employee can earn in a calendar year is 48 hours. If they don’t use up their hours, they can “bank,” or carry over, up to 80 hours from year to year.

All employers would be required to offer sick leave, regardless of their size. Family businesses and casual employees would not be exempt, but independent contractors would be. State or federal exemptions also would apply.

Employers who already offer paid time off or sick leave through collective bargaining agreements must still meet the minimum requirements of the ordinance.

Accrued hours can be used to take care of a family member suffering from mental or physical illness, or who needs a medical diagnosis or preventive care. They also can be used as “safe time,” when an employee or an employee’s family member is a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking.

The task force defined “family” as a child, grandchild, adult child, spouse, sibling, parent, an in-law or “any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.”

Employers would not be required to pay out unused sick and safe time when an employee leaves the company.

If the ordinance is implemented, startup businesses would be given a ramp-up period of three to six months to roll out the policy.

The ramp-up for new businesses would sunset at a time to be determined by the city attorney’s office. Employers with fewer than 24 employees also would be given six months to comply.

The city of St. Paul would be expected to provide a range of employer and employee training online. More information is online at the commission’s website.