New Mich. Law Lets Workers Miss 3 Days Without Notice

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Starting in February 2025, a new Michigan law will let workers miss work for three consecutive days without the need to call in, a provision that has sparked concern among small business owners, The Michigan Capitol Confidential reports.

The provision in the new law applies broadly to Michigan businesses, covering nearly every type of worker. Under the framework, employees could no-call-no-show several shifts and still be protected from termination.

Tina Anganis, a restaurant owner in Midland, said the bill is “setting a bad precedent for what kind of morals we want to set in the workplace.”

The legislation would also mandate paid sick leave for all employees — including part-time, temporary, and seasonal workers — and requires employers to allow workers to accrue one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 72 hours per year for larger businesses.

The provision has intensified concerns within Michigan’s restaurant industry, which employs nearly 500,000 people. Justin Winslow, president and CEO of the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association, warned that the law, combined with a forthcoming minimum wage hike, could devastate already struggling restaurants.

“As our recent industry operations survey illustrated, 40% of full-service restaurants in Michigan are already unprofitable, meaning this decision is likely to force more than one in five of them to close permanently, eliminating up to 60,000 jobs along the way,” Winslow stated.

The Small Business Association of Michigan echoed those concerns, noting that nearly 80% of Michigan’s small businesses already offer some form of paid time off. However, the fear remains that the added burden of mandated sick leave and the allowance for employees to miss work without notice will strain operations further, especially as businesses brace for rising inflation and a potential recession.