Sick Leave Update

Greg Casar with Work Strong Austin, the coalition that organized public support for the ordinance (by Photo courtesy of Work Strong Austin/Facebook)

City attorneys have appealed the 3rd Court of Appeals' temporary blockage of the city's paid sick leave ordinance, originally intended to go into effect on Oct. 1, and on Tuesday HR Director Joya Hayes sent out a memo detailing the city's approach to the ordinance's stunted implementation. City employees will still see the ordinance take hold as part of their benefit package on the intended date, but HR plans to contact external business chambers and professional organizations to postpone any scheduled presentations, and also put the kibosh on any media advertising of implementation. The departments will keep any forms and educational info up on the city's website, "in order to be ready to immediately continue with our plan once the temporary delay is lifted." Let us hope that happens.