Establishes a maximum hourly workday for all peace officers as defined in § 12-7-21 and a violation rate of pay of double time and a half.
Impact
This bill will significantly impact state laws regarding labor conditions for peace officers, aiming to provide a better work-life balance for these employees. By specifying limits on work hours and overtime, the legislation intends to prevent burnout and maintain the effectiveness of peace officers in their duties. Moreover, it includes provisions guaranteeing that refusal to work beyond the stipulated hours cannot lead to punitive actions against employees.
Summary
Bill S0855 aims to establish a maximum workday for peace officers employed by the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. Specifically, it sets predefined working hours of eight hours for most employees and ten hours for correctional officer stewards, restricting the State from mandating overtime under normal circumstances. The bill's purpose is to safeguard the welfare and efficiency of peace officers, ensuring that they are not overworked beyond these limits unless exceptional emergencies arise.
Contention
A potential point of contention regarding S0855 includes the definition of 'unforeseeable emergent circumstances' that allows the State to require overtime. Critics may argue that the vague nature of this term could lead to misinterpretation and abuse, resulting in peace officers being asked to work beyond their agreed limits more frequently. Additionally, apprehension may exist over the financial implications to the State should they fail to meet these regulations, as the law mandates a violation penalty of double time and a half for mandated overtime not properly justified.
Mandates that the work week be reduced to thirty-two hours and rate of pay for a thirty-two (32) hour workweek would remain the same as the rate of pay for forty hours.
Increases the penalty for violations of the care of dogs statute to a minimum fine of one hundred dollars ($100) and a maximum fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per violation.
Increases the penalty for violations of the care of dogs statute to a minimum fine of one hundred dollars ($100) and a maximum fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per violation.
Excludes all overtime earned by an individual from adjusted gross income for tax years 2025 and 2026 and defines overtime as payment of at least 1½ times the rate of regular pay for hours worked over the standard forty (40) hours.
Establishes the restrictive housing oversight committee ("committee") for the purpose of monitoring the use of restrictive housing (solitary confinement), as well as disciplinary and administrative confinement at the department of corrections.
Establishes the restrictive housing oversight committee ("committee") for the purpose of monitoring the use of restrictive housing (solitary confinement), as well as disciplinary and administrative confinement at the department of corrections.
Repeals the law that allowed employers to pay some of their minor employees and employees who are full time students and not attained the age of nineteen (19), less than minimum hourly wages, requiring them to be paid a minimum hourly wage.
Requires employer to furnish items and conditions of employment and a pay stub explaining how wages were calculated/reasons for deductions/allows the employee to file a court action against employer for violation.