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House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	October 7, 2021 02:59 PM
From:	Representative Kate A. Klunk
To:	All House members
Subject:	Employee Rights Notification and Protection

I am preparing to reintroduce House Bill 785 from last session which would require public sector employees to be notified of their rights under the 1st Amendment and state law. As you may know, a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public employees cannot be required to pay money to a union unless the employee agreed to join the union or consented to donate money to the union. State law provides public employees with the right to decide whether to join the union – and the right to refrain from being involved in union activity. My legislation would provide notification of employee rights as follows: Public employees who are not union members would be notified annually that they are not required to pay any money to the union unless they agree to do so. New employees for public jobs would be notified of their right to choose whether or not to join the union – and of their 1st Amendment right to not pay any funds to an organization they did not consent to support. Additionally, two state laws (requiring public employees to pay fair share fees if they do not join the union) that have been rendered unenforceable by the Supreme Court will be repealed. This bill is not intended to help or harm public sector unions. Simply put, the bill aims to help public employees understand their rights and to protect those rights from being intentionally or unintentionally violated. I hope that you will join me by cosponsoring this legislation.

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