This week, city officials in Ann Arbor, Michigan, approved a law that will allow workers to sit rather than standing while on the job. The law will apply to a broad swath of positions across industries including hospitality and retail, as long as a worker being seated doesn’t interfere with their ability to do the job.
Under federal law, employers are already required to grant “reasonable accommodations” to workers who are pregnant or disabled. But the onus is typically on workers to request those accommodations. With a “right to sit” law in place, workers who need to be able to sit on the job—or at least take breaks from standing—wouldn’t have to make explicit requests for an accommodation, which will make certain workplaces more inclusive to older workers or those with disabilities.
This makes Ann Arbor the first city in Michigan to adopt a “right to sit” law that applies to all workers, not just as an accommodation for those who are pregnant or have a disability. Beyond Michigan, a handful of other states have passed similar laws, including California, Florida and Wisconsin. Some states even have old “right to sit” laws on the books that apply only to women because they date back to the early 20th century, when women entered the workforce in huge numbers. But these laws are broadly more common in Europe, where cashiers, for example, are usually seated while working.
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