Post by Logan on Jan 21, 2016 2:55:53 GMT -6
Nevada minimum wage initiative petition survives first court battle
The petition to raise Nevada’s minimum wage survived its first court test Wednesday as Carson District Judge James Wilson ruled it can go forward without amendment.
Backers including the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) want voters to mandate annual increases in the state’s minimum wage, bringing it to $13 an hour by 2024. The proposed constitutional amendment was challenged by the Reno-Sparks and Las Vegas chambers of commerce.
First, chamber lawyers Kevin Benson and Matt Griffin argued the petition’s lay description completely avoided telling potential signers the petition would impose damages on businesses that violate the minimum wage rules, even if that violation was unintentional and accidental. Under current law, the employee just gets the pay he/she should have gotten but, if voters approve the petition in November, the employee would get three times the amount of money he or she was shorted.
“Normally you have to show it was an intentional act in order to get punitive damages,” Benson said.
Continued at www.nevadaappeal.com/news/20248748-113/nevada-minimum-wage-initiative-petition-survives-first-court .
The petition to raise Nevada’s minimum wage survived its first court test Wednesday as Carson District Judge James Wilson ruled it can go forward without amendment.
Backers including the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) want voters to mandate annual increases in the state’s minimum wage, bringing it to $13 an hour by 2024. The proposed constitutional amendment was challenged by the Reno-Sparks and Las Vegas chambers of commerce.
First, chamber lawyers Kevin Benson and Matt Griffin argued the petition’s lay description completely avoided telling potential signers the petition would impose damages on businesses that violate the minimum wage rules, even if that violation was unintentional and accidental. Under current law, the employee just gets the pay he/she should have gotten but, if voters approve the petition in November, the employee would get three times the amount of money he or she was shorted.
“Normally you have to show it was an intentional act in order to get punitive damages,” Benson said.
Continued at www.nevadaappeal.com/news/20248748-113/nevada-minimum-wage-initiative-petition-survives-first-court .