The Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas has ruled against the City of Pittsburgh’s paid sick leave ordinance passed earlier this year and then taken to court by various businesses that would have been affected by it. In a Brief this past August we pointed to language in the Commonwealth’s Home Rule Charter Law that appeared to circumvent the ability of the City to place “…duties, responsibilities, or requirements…” on businesses.
The Judge’s decision noted that “there are limitations on the City’s authority to enact any ordinance determining any duty, responsibility, or requirement of a business or private employer. The Paid Sick Leave Ordinance purports to do this. The Ordinance places affirmative duties on businesses, occupations, and employers in violation of the [Home Rule Charter Law]”. The decision also examined the City’s arguments that it was justified to enact the ordinance by virtue of the Second Class City Code and the Disease Prevention Law.