Michigan has enacted legislation (House Bill 6032) that establishes certain requirements and protections related to COVID-19 for employees. House Bill 6032 is effective retroactive to March 1, 2020.

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) has adopted an emergency rule requiring employers to take certain steps related to COVID-19. The emergency rule is effective immediately.

Michigan Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has issued an executive order that expands protections for certain workers impacted by COVID-19. The executive order is effective immediately and will continue until the end of the states of emergency and disaster.

On January 2, 2019, Michigan announced that the effective date of the minimum wage increase to $9.45 per hour will be March 29, 2019. The minimum cash wage required to be paid to tipped employees will increase to $3.59 on this same date.

In September 2018, the Michigan legislature adopted as law a proposed ballot measure that would require employers to provide their employees paid leave to be used for “sick” and “safe” time purposes, and other reasons. The law has been amended. The law, now known as the Paid Medical Leave Act, requires covered employers to provide up to 40 hours of paid medical leave per year to eligible employees.

The Michigan Legislature has adopted two pieces of legislation (Senate Bill 1171 and Senate Bill 1175) that will scale back increases to the minimum wage and require certain employers to provide paid sick leave (and now call it paid medical leave).