With the Governor’s signature, Nebraska has enacted legislation that would significantly roll back its new paid sick time law—which passed via ballot initiative in November 2024—and exclude many workers, including seasonal agricultural workers, young workers, and anyone working for a small business with 10 or fewer employees. The legislation will also weaken a covered worker’s enforcement options when they face violations.
This news is part of a larger trend of attacks on paid sick time nationwide, and follows the Missousi legislature’s repeal of Missouri’s own ballot-passed paid sick time legislation in May.
The following is a statement from A Better Balance Vice President Jared Make:
“This effort to roll back Nebraska’s paid sick time law is an outrageous attack on workers’ hard-won rights, as well as an anti-democratic move to stifle the clear will of the state’s voters. Nebraskans made their voices heard and voted yes on paid sick time by a margin of almost three-to-one, securing victory by almost 50 percentage points.
The results were clear on Election Day: Nebraskans across party lines need and want paid sick time. But now, many of Nebraska’s essential workers—who need paid sick time the most—will be deprived of this fundamental right. No one should have to go to work sick or sacrifice a paycheck in order to take care of themselves or their families.
A Better Balance worked closely with our longtime partners at Nebraska Appleseed—who led a robust coalition of advocates, businesses, and public health leaders—to advocate for paid sick time for all Nebraskans. We will continue to resist these anti-worker and anti-democratic attacks on what should be a commonsense policy to protect the health and economic security of communities, in Nebraska and every corner of the country.”
