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Summary of Question 4
This proposed law would entitle employees in Massachusetts to earn and use sick time according to certain conditions. Employees who work for employers having eleven or more employees could earn and use up to 40 hours of paid sick time per calendar year, while employees working for smaller employers could earn and use up to 40 hours of unpaid sick time per calendar year. An employee could use earned sick time if required to miss work in order (1) to care for a physical or mental illness, injury or medical condition affecting the employee or the employee's child, spouse, parent, or parent of a spouse; (2) to attend routine medical appointments of the employee or the employee's child, spouse, parent, or parent of a spouse; or (3) to address the effects of domestic violence on the employee or the employee's dependent child. Employees would earn one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked, and would begin accruing those hours on the date of hire or on July 1, 2015, whichever is later. Employees could begin to use earned sick time on the 90th day after hire. The proposed law would cover both private and public employers, except that employees of a particular city or town would be covered only if, as required by the state constitution, the proposed law were made applicable by local or state legislative vote or by appropriation of sufficient funds to pay for the benefit. Earned paid sick time would be compensated at the same hourly rate paid to the employee when the sick time is used. Employees could carry over up to 40 hours of unused sick time to the next calendar year, but could not use more than 40 hours in a calendar year. Employers would not have to pay employees for unused sick time at the end of their employment. If an employee missed work for a reason eligible for earned sick time, but agreed with the employer to work the same number of hours or shifts in the same or next pay period, the employee would not have to use earned sick time for the missed time, and the employer would not have to pay for that missed time. Employers would be prohibited from requiring such an employee to work additional hours to make up for missed time, or to find a replacement employee. Employers could require certification of the need for sick time if an employee used sick time for more than 24 consecutively scheduled work hours. Employers could not delay the taking of or payment for earned sick time because they have not received the certification. Employees would have to make a good faith effort to notify the employer in advance if the need for earned sick time is foreseeable. Employers would be prohibited from interfering with or retaliating based on an employee's exercise of earned sick time rights, and from retaliating based on an employee's support of another employee's exercise of such rights. The proposed law would not override employers' obligations under any contract or benefit plan with more generous provisions than those in the proposed law. Employers that have their own policies providing as much paid time off, usable for the same purposes and under the same conditions, as the proposed law would not be required to provide additional paid sick time. The Attorney General would enforce the proposed law, using the same enforcement procedures applicable to other state wage laws, and employees could file suits in court to enforce their earned sick time rights. The Attorney General would have to prepare a multilingual notice regarding the right to earned sick time, and employers would be required to post the notice in a conspicuous location and to provide a copy to employees. The state Executive Office of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Attorney General, would develop a multilingual outreach program to inform the public of the availability of earned sick time. The proposed law would take effect on July 1, 2015, and states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.

2014 - Berkshire County - Question 4Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives on or before May 6, 2014?

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Berkshire County Results
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City/Town Ward Pct Blanks Total Votes Cast
Totals
26,164
11,822
2,230 40,216
Adams More »
 
1,473
683
82
2,238
Alford
 
116
58
35
209
Becket
 
382
199
12
593
Cheshire
 
573
355
85
1,013
Clarksburg
 
313
179
78
570
Dalton More »
 
1,346
670
40
2,056
Egremont
 
388
187
57
632
Florida
 
138
68
36
242
Great Barrington More »
 
1,887
776
154
2,817
Hancock
 
131
87
25
243
Hinsdale
 
359
239
82
680
Lanesborough
 
628
286
36
950
Lee
 
1,161
581
85
1,827
Lenox
 
1,312
620
117
2,049
Monterey
 
245
82
40
367
Mount Washington
 
35
23
18
76
New Ashford
 
63
31
14
108
New Marlborough
 
322
172
63
557
N. Adams More »
 
2,272
947
141
3,360
Otis
 
344
218
26
588
Peru
 
200
74
13
287
Pittsfield More »
 
7,864
3,331
374
11,569
Richmond
 
406
220
26
652
Sandisfield
 
172
78
19
269
Savoy
 
120
54
42
216
Sheffield
 
651
346
163
1,160
Stockbridge
 
621
243
60
924
Tyringham
 
106
59
24
189
Washington
 
143
78
24
245
W. Stockbridge
 
382
166
129
677
Williamstown More »
 
1,803
615
106
2,524
Windsor
 
208
97
24
329
County Totals
26,164
11,822
2,230 40,216