Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0988 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2025 -- S 0988
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7	7	LC002571
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE -- WORK ON
16	16	HOLIDAYS AND SUNDAYS
17	17	Introduced By: Senators Appollonio, Acosta, Mack, Lauria, Kallman, Thompson,
18	18	Dimitri, Urso, Vargas, and Pearson
19	19	Date Introduced: April 16, 2025
20	20	Referred To: Senate Labor & Gaming
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23	23	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
24	24	SECTION 1. Section 25-3-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 25-3 entitled "Work on 1
25	25	Holidays and Sundays" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
26	26	25-3-1. Definitions. 3
27	27	As used in this chapter: 4
28	28	(1) “Director” means the director of the department of labor and training. 5
29	29	(2) “Economic necessity” means and refers to any case where the director determines that: 6
30	30	(i) Both the economics and technology of manufacture of the product or a component of 7
31	31	the product requires continuous conversion or processing of raw materials, intermediates, or 8
32	32	components without interruption to avoid disproportionate loss of production capacity; 9
33	33	(ii) The economics and technology of data processing requires the continuous operation of 10
34	34	data processing equipment to avoid deterioration of equipment or a disproportionate loss of 11
35	35	computer capacity or where customer requirements are that data processing equipment must be 12
36	36	available for input or output on a continuous basis; 13
37	37	(iii) Because prevailing industry practice in the manufacturing or processing of the product 14
38	38	or in the provision of banking or financial services is to operate facilities within that industry seven 15
39	39	(7) days per week, the failure to operate on one or more Sundays or holidays will subject the 16
40	40	employer to a competitive hardship within the industry in which the employer competes; 17
41	41	(iv) Maintenance or improvement of plant or equipment cannot practically or efficiently 18
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45	45	be performed while production is in process; 1
46	46	(v) The scheduling of production on Sundays or holidays is necessitated by interrupted or 2
47	47	allocated energy supplies, or shortages of raw materials or component parts; 3
48	48	(vi) An employer has been deprived of its normal production schedule by fire, flood, power 4
49	49	failure, or other circumstances beyond its control; or 5
50	50	(vii) Circumstances, temporary in nature, are that undue economic hardship would result 6
51	51	from the inability to operate on one or more Sundays or holidays. 7
52	52	(3) “Employee” means any individual employed by an employer, but shall not include: 8
53	53	(i) Any individual employed in agriculture or maritime trades, including commercial 9
54	54	fishing or boat repairs; 10
55	55	(ii) Any physician, dentist, attorney at law, or accountant; 11
56	56	(iii) Any individual engaged in the provision of health care or maintenance; 12
57	57	(iv) Any individual employed in a restaurant, hotel, motel, summer camp, resort, or other 13
58	58	recreational facility (except health clubs); 14
59	59	(v) Any individual employed in the business of offshore petroleum or gas exploration or 15
60	60	extraction, or in the business of servicing or supplying persons engaged in exploration or extraction; 16
61	61	(vi) Supervisory employees as defined in 29 U.S.C. § 213(a)(1) and regulations issued 17
62	62	pursuant to that section; 18
63	63	(vii) Any individual employed by an employer holding a license issued pursuant to chapter 19
64	64	23 of title 5; or 20
65	65	(viii) Any individual employed as part of a telephonic delivery of customer service, sales 21
66	66	operations, and ancillary services related to those services and operations, except for specific 22
67	67	employment positions in the telecommunications industry that are part of any collective bargaining 23
68	68	agreement or employment contract in effect on July 2, 1998. 24
69	69	(4) “Employer” means any natural person, partnership, firm, corporation, or other 25
70	70	enterprise engaged in industry, transportation, communication, or any other commercial occupation 26
71	71	involving one or more employees. 27
72	72	(5) “Holidays” means Sunday, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, 28
73	73	Jr.’s Birthday, as defined in § 25-2-18, Juneteenth National Freedom Day, July 4th, Victory Day, 29
74	74	Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas; provided, that as it 30
75	75	pertains to all offices of state and municipal government, the term “holiday” includes in addition 31
76	76	to the holidays enumerated in this subdivision, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, as defined 32
77	77	in § 25-2-18. 33
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81	81	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1
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88	88	EXPLANATION
89	89	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
90	90	OF
91	91	A N A C T
92	92	RELATING TO HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE -- WORK ON
93	93	HOLIDAYS AND SUNDAYS
94	94	***
95	95	This act would include Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday as a holiday. 1
96	96	This act would take effect upon passage. 2
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98	98	LC002571
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