Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution directing the County Administrator to publish Notice of Public Hearing to be held on Tuesday, December 4, 2018, at 10:00 a.m., in Room 422 of the Governmental Center to consider enactment of a proposed Ordinance, the title of which is as follows:
 
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, PERTAINING TO THE BROWARD COUNTY LIVING WAGE ORDINANCE; AMENDING SECTION 26-102 OF THE BROWARD COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES ("CODE") TO PROVIDE THAT COVERED EMPLOYEES MAY DECLINE OFFERED HEALTH CARE BENEFITS AND INSTEAD RECEIVE THE HEALTH CARE BENEFIT AMOUNT; AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, INCLUSION IN THE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

 

(Sponsored by Vice-Mayor Mark D. Bogen)

ACTION:  (T-11:45 AM)  Following discussion, the Board deferred this item to Tuesday, December 4, 2018.  (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)  (See Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated November 13, 2018, submitted at the request of Commissioner Ryan, the Office of the County Attorney, and Finance and Administrative Services Department.)

VOTE: 8-0.

The proposed Ordinance was prepared by the Office of the County Attorney at the direction of the Board of County Commissioners at its meeting on October 23, 2018.

Amends the Code to provide that covered employees may decline offered health care benefits and receive the higher hourly living wage amount that is otherwise required when health care benefits are not offered by a covered employer.

Currently, the Broward County Living Wage Ordinance ("Ordinance") requires that covered employers pay covered employees no less than $12.38 per hour with qualifying health care benefits amounting to at least $1.61 per hour, or no less than $13.98 per hour without qualifying health care benefits.  On January 1, 2019, absent further action by the Board, this amount will be adjusted to no less than $12.60 per hour with qualifying health care benefits amounting to at least $1.63 per hour, or no less than $14.23 per hour without qualifying health care benefits.

Some covered employees may find the health care benefits offered by an employer to be insufficient and may prefer to opt out of provided health care benefits and instead receive the higher living wage amount from which they could purchase their own health care coverage.  The Ordinance currently permits an employer to offer the lower wage if an employee declines health care coverage and the employer provides written proof of the employee's declination; in that instance, the employer keeps the differential.

The proposed amendment provides that if a covered employee declines health care benefits, the covered employer shall pay the higher hourly living wage rate without health benefits, which, effective January 1, 2019, is no less than $14.23 per hour (inclusive of the $1.63 per hour that would otherwise be paid to provide health care benefits).

Adam Katzman, Senior Assistant County Attorney, 954-357-7600