'Paid Sick Leave for Nebraskans' turns in 138,000 signatures for ballot initiative

Supporters of the Paid Sick Leave for Nebraskans ballot initiative delivered more than 138,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office Thursday morning to be verified.

The group needed around 90,000 total verified signatures, representing 7% of the state’s registered voters, in order to make it on the November ballot.

“Today we are one step closer to ensuring that all working Nebraskans can earn and use paid sick time when they need it, so that makes today a day of celebration,” said Jo Giles, who leads the Women’s Fund of Omaha.

If passed, the initiative would require all businesses in the state to offer at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

Workers at businesses with fewer than 20 employees can earn up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year, while employees at businesses with more than 20 employees can earn up to 56 hours of paid sick leave each year.

According to the 2021 Nebraska Benefits report, more than a third of the state’s full-time employees had no paid sick leave in 2020, while 86% of part-time employees lacked any sick leave.

Sue Martin, the president of the Nebraska State AFL-CIO union, said that has forced many workers to choose between their health and a paycheck.

“Overcoming this injustice is the key reason why the Nebraska labor movement joined in signature collection to put this issue on the ballot for Nebraska workers to decide,” she said.

If the initiative passes November, the new requirements will take effect on Oct. 1, 2025.