If you’ve worked a job that requires you to wear a name badge and smile all the time, new legislation in the Michigan House might appeal to you.
State Democrats introduced HB 5983 this fall. The bill would require employers to supply seating for their employees — and allow them to use it.
Letting workers sit on the job is just common sense, said Representative Dylan Wegela (D-Garden City), one of the bill’s sponsors.
“I think most people would agree that you should have the right to sit at your job if you can do your work the same while sitting,” he said.
The bill would require employers to provide seating, like a stool or a chair, for employees while they work. But if their job requires them to stand, the legislation states, there should be seating nearby. And the bill includes a provision that employers can’t prohibit their workers from using the provided seating.
There are already federal protections for workers who are pregnant or have disabilities. But everyone should be able to rest their legs on the job, Wegela said.
“You don't have to have a disability in order for there to be a good case for you to sit during your job function or sit during downtimes,” he said.
If passed, workers would report violations to the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Wegela said. From there, county prosecutors or the attorney general could pursue a $250 fine for each employee who filed a complaint, according to the bill.
Wegela hopes the bill earns bipartisan support, citing similar laws in states like West Virginia and Montana.
“I think this is an issue about human dignity and compassion, and one that just makes a lot of sense.”
