Council overrides veto on sick pay, minimum wage

Marti Emerald
Marti Emerald

SAN DIEGO (Press Release)– At a special meeting convened during August recess, the San Diego City Council overrode the Mayor’s veto of an ordinance that would provide sick leave and an increased minimum wage for workers.

Councilmember Marti Emerald and her colleagues voted 6-2 to override the Mayor’s veto and to move forward with the ordinance. The ordinance will allow thousands of workers in the city who currently do not have access to earned sick leave the opportunity to earn 5 days of sick leave annually and will set San Diego’s minimum wage at $11.50 implemented over three years, increasing to $9.75 in January 2015, $10.50 in January 2016 and $11.50 in January 2017, and indexed to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) starting January 1, 2019.

_____________________________
Keeping up with Jewish public officials

________________________________

The original ordinance passed City Council 6-3 on July 14, 2014 before being vetoed by Mayor Kevin Faulconer on August 8, 2014. Section 285 of the San Diego City Charter enables the council to reconsider any resolution or ordinance vetoed by the mayor, and can override the mayor’s veto with 6 or more votes.

Councilmember Emerald, who initiated the sick leave portion of the ordinance stated, “This ordinance makes sense on so many levels. It will help working families make ends meet. Providing earned sick leave will ensure that workers can seek medical care or rest when they are sick, or help their children when they need medical care. It will also help avoid the transmittal of disease by workers.”

*
Preceding provided by San Diego City Councilwoman Marti Emerald