Sanford Nowlin
Activist Joleen Garcia leads paid sick time advocates in a rally outside of City Council chambers last year.
After the ordinance lived through an attack this spring in the Texas Legislature, an attorney representing business interests informed the city he'll sue to block the measure from taking effect on August 1, according to the Express-News.
The attorney, Ricardo Cedillo, represents staffing agencies and other business groups, the newspaper reports.
A legal challenge to the ordinance seemed likely from the start. Austin has faced a court battle over a similar policy it enacted prior to San Antonio, and a state appellate court ruled that city’s measure violates the state constitution.
The San Antonio ordinance — adopted after a petition drive by a coalition of progressive groups and labor unions — establishes a minimum number of sick days employers must grant workers.
Proponents of the rule argue that workers suffer when they must miss shifts due to illness or to look after a sick family member. Business groups, however, claim the regulation imposes an unfair burden.
Stay tuned. This battle won't be over for a while.
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