Sen. Ciccone, Rep. Sanchez sponsor bill to pay more employees weekly
STATE HOUSE – Sen. Frank A. Ciccone III and Rep. Enrique George Sanchez are sponsoring legislation to require most businesses in Rhode Island to pay their employees weekly.
“The people of Rhode Island need this now in order to pay the high cost of living,” said Representative Sanchez (D-Dist. 9, Providence). “As legislators we should be doing everything we can to aide our hardworking constituents struggling with rising costs.”
While Rhode Island law already stipulates that workers be paid weekly, it contains numerous exemptions to this requirement. This bill (2024-H 7457, 2024-S 2477) would remove all exemptions except for state offices, municipal governments and nonprofit organizations with less than twenty-five employees. It would also exempt employees who have fixed compensation at a biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly or yearly rate. These employees would continue to be paid every two weeks. Senator Ciccone (D-Dist. 7, Providence, Johnston) will shortly introduce his version of this bill in the Senate.
“For the hardest working Rhode Islanders, sometimes a paycheck every two weeks doesn’t get the bills paid,” said Senator Ciccone. “Rent has gone up, groceries are more than they were a year ago and it costs more to heat your home. Getting paid a week earlier helps.”
A survey from late last year showed that more than three-quarters of Rhode Islanders are struggling with the cost of living. This perception was strongest for members of traditionally marginalized communities.
The federal government is now the third-longest in U.S. history as it drags on into another week. Democratic lawmakers remain dug in on efforts to extend healthcare subsidies while Republicans are demanding the government reopen before any negotiations. The Senate will meet this afternoon to try for an eleventh time to end the shutdown, which started October 1st. 
