Georgia Senator John Albers Passes Legislation to Protect Workers and Businesses

Senator John Albers has sponsored Senate Bill 331, the Protecting Georgia Businesses and Workers, which recently passed the Senate.

Albers says the bill is a critical piece of legislation that will prevent local governments from passing onerous mandates relating to the regulation of employee work hours, scheduling, or employee output. However, SB 331 allows local governments to dictate hours and scheduling for any business that contracts with local governments.

SB 331 will ensure that Georgia does not follow the lead of local governments in California, Illinois, New York and other states that have adopted ordinances that are handcuffing both employers and their hard-working employees, who are the lifeblood of every business.

“Since the pandemic hit in 2020, businesses all across Georgia have struggled to remain open, navigate the health and safety of their employees and customers and to make payroll. Allowing private businesses to have the flexibility to schedule their employees based on need and pay them a competitive wage without government mandates, will continue to help small businesses across Georgia dig out from the uncertainty and struggles of the pandemic,” said Senator Albers.

Georgia is currently sitting at an all-time low unemployment rate (2.6%) and has the lowest unemployment rate among the top 10 most populated states in the country. This remarkable feat is made possible due to measures like the “Protecting Georgia Business and Worker’s Act” that keep the business community and its workforce alive and thriving.

“I am proud to stand with the Georgia Chamber, Metro Atlanta Chamber, American Hotel & Lodging Association, Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association, Georgia Restaurant Association, National Federal of Independent Business and others in supporting this important piece of legislation,” said Albers.

SB 331 is currently in the House Industry and Labor Committee.

First Reader Summary for SB 331: A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 4 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to minimum wage law, so as to prohibit the regulation of employee work hours, scheduling, and output by local government entities; to provide for exceptions; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

See more about SB 331 HERE.