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State Lawmaker Wants Retailers To Pay More To Employees Working On Thanksgiving

The day after Thanksgiving has traditionally been the start of the holiday shopping season. But this year, many retailers plan to open their doors with special sales on Thanksgiving itself. One Democratic State lawmaker says mandating employees work on that day is not right. Democrat Mike Foley explains he is introducing a bill that would require employers to pay much more to workers who work during that time.

“There’s already all of these pressures that we have around the holiday time for families and communities and these pressures that consumerism puts on us kind of adds to the burden. So I think if any retailer is going to open up on Thursday now and on Friday, you know from Friday before their normal opening hours, that they should pay more. They should pay at least triple what they normally pay."

Foley says he realizes many retailers pay time and a half right now but he doesn’t think that’s good enough. He says retailers are trying to encroach on Thanksgiving, a day that traditionally families get together. Foley admits this bill likely won’t make it through the Republican dominated Ohio legislature but he says that’s not the point. He says it’s important he speak out for change, regardless of the chance of the bill’s passage.