State Rep. Timmy Beson on Thursday voted to approve legislation that will protect jobs, small businesses and local economies from looming and potentially devastating state Supreme Court mandates.

Beson joined his House colleagues today in advancing House Bills 4001-02, which strike a needed balance between fostering economic growth and protecting workers. The Court’s ruling from last summer, which will go into effect Feb. 21, put unrealistic demands on small businesses regarding wages and sick leave while phasing out the tip credit, which provides a key source of income for workers and in often cases is more than an employee would make with an increased minimum wage – notably in the service industry.

“I have heard for months about this issue and it was a top priority to start this term,” said Beson, of Bay City. “Small businesses employ almost 2 million people across our state. If workers are laid off and businesses have to close, it will have a devastating impact.

“These plans stop these radical changes that have been pushed by special interests and groups outside Michigan, and they’ll stop them before good-paying jobs are lost and our local job providers are pushed to the brink.”

HBs 4001-02 leave the current 38% tip credit while moving toward a higher minimum wage year over year. The plans also tweak an impractical, court-ordered, one-size-fits-all earned sick leave approach that applies to businesses that employ even one person. In its place, the bills define an employer as an entity with 50 or more workers and don’t subject businesses with less than that to the requirements.

The legislation pertaining to sick leave lets employees carry over more than 72 hours of unused sick time to an ensuing year if an employer permits, giving added flexibility for workers.

HBs 4001-02 now move to the Senate for consideration.