Committee forwards ordinance to create consolidated Labor & Employment Code

The Rules Committee unanimously moved an ordinance on Oct. 2 to establish a Labor and Employment Code that gathers worker-protection provisions now scattered across multiple municipal codes into one location.

Sponsor Supervisor Ahsha Safaí described the change as primarily clerical—intended to make the city’s codes easier to navigate for workers and employers—and said the ordinance makes no substantive legal changes at this time. Division 1 would cover general worker protections, and Division 2 would address rules affecting city contractors.

A remote caller raised questions about whether adding a new code is necessary or whether alternatives (such as creating a new chapter in the Administrative Code) could achieve the same goal; Safaí and other members indicated the committee would proceed and the Board process could include further discussion.

The committee voted unanimously to forward the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation.