Last November, voters across Nebraska overwhelmingly passed Initiative 436, a statewide ballot initiative that gives all workers the ability to earn and use paid sick leave – without retaliation from their employers. This voter-approved law goes into effect on October 1, 2025. 

Nearly 75% of Nebraskans approved Initiative 436. That includes voters in 89 of 93 counties and a majority of voters in every single legislative district. More than 200 local Nebraska businesses also supported allowing workers to earn and use paid sick leave. 

Now, the will of Nebraska voters is being ignored by the Nebraska Legislature.

The Business and Labor Committee has prioritized LB415 (Sen. Beau Ballard), which includes a pending amendment (AM545) that would exempt several groups of workers from receiving earned sick leave – including seasonal and temporary agricultural workers, and workers under the age of 16. Additionally, AM545 exempts businesses with 10 or fewer employees from having to provide paid sick leave, and it removes important protections for workers who face retaliation from their employers for using paid sick leave.

Will you email your senator and tell them to oppose AM545 to LB415? Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Working families are the engine of our economy. Supporting family values means supporting families—and that starts with letting people take care of sick kids or elderly parents without losing their income. Paid sick leave is a right that should be granted to ALL workers, regardless of their age, the industry they work in, or their available work hours. I urge you to oppose AM545 to LB415.
  
  
• AM545 stands in direct opposition to the will of Nebraskans who firmly supported the clear, common sense policy of requiring all Nebraska businesses to offer paid sick leave to employees – so they can earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Please stand by the votes of Nebraskans across the state and in every legislative district and oppose AM545 to LB415.