Item 5a: Will Byers and Shyne be true to their word?

At the Nov. 20 City Council meeting, the long awaited ‘critical state of business’ issues were presented to the City Council. Mayor Pro-Tem Erickson was out of town and not present for the meeting. The staff report asked for a review of several provisions of the minimum wage ordinance, which included a review of paid time off provisions for part-time workers.   West Hollywood is the only municipality that forces employers to compensate part-time workers with vacation and sick pay.

At tonight’s April 15 City Council meeting, staff will present the results from the survey of employees that was requested at the Nov. 20, 2023, city council meeting. The survey clearly shows that both employees and employers have been harmed by the rush to roll out the hotel worker ordinance to all industries, and all businesses throughout the city. It is clear that the ordinance has created hardship for both the employees whom it was intended to help and the employers saddled with burdensome regulations and costs.

Here are some direct quotes from that meeting:

Councilmember Byers: “I am interested in understanding better how we can modify and address the part of the paid time off ordinance piece specifically. I do hear from this room and from the numbers of letters that we received and comments and conversations over the last few months that this one size fits all approach is not serving our community in the best way possible.”

“I have maintained a commitment to looking at this in earnestness and will continue to do so. There are specific provisions that other cities across the county have done to qualify the number of employees or the business size as a provision for the amount of how the paid time off is issued so I am open to some of that for consideration. So I want to indicate that.”

Mayor Shyne came back: “I hear very strongly that the paid time off has parts of this that are burdensome. Again, I want to say I hear you to our businesses, I also hear from the workers and that information needs to come from the workers because we have had a lot of information from our businesses. I am personally very aware of the issues.”

Meister went on record: “I actually am ready, I support those two items in concept.” (discussion of item 6 part-time sick and vacation pay, and item 7 a total compensation package for hospitality workers). Meister continued: “I think one of the issues is when you say speak to employees the group of employees we have not really talked to from the bars and restaurants. I will say that we have heard from the hospitality workers. These changes, and the City Manager confirmed that, DO NOT affect the hotel workers. They are exempt from these changes. We need to talk to other employees, employees that we would impact.”

“It is not ‘illegal to look at a total compensation package that we should move ahead on that because if you want staff to come back with more information then let them look at it and come back.” Shyne replied, “my direction was to reach out to the workers,” – the crowd hissed. Shyne hit the gavel. “Please, please,” she spoke to the audience, “we need to keep decorum.” She then went to item 7 total compensation package and stated, “there will not be consensus on that item.”

Heilman then had a chance to weigh in. “I was wondering if you forgot me over here.” Heilman went on, “I am okay to take more time with item 6 and 7 to make sure we get it right. I think some changes need to be made,” Heilman stated.

Tonight is the vote on those changes. If Vice Mayor Byers is true to her words, if Council member Shyne is true to her words, they will join Council members Meister and Heilman to course correct on the part-time worker provisions and consider a policy that suits West Hollywood’s hospitality-driven economy.