Austin's 'Paid Sick Leave' ordinance moves forward; injunction denied

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas - A Travis County Judge has denied a temporary injunction against the City of Austin's controversial "Paid Sick Leave" ordinance.  

To recap, the Austin City Council passed Council Member Greg Casar's ordinance in February.  It mandates private businesses give workers earned, paid sick time. 

Businesses, especially small businesses, claimed it would hurt them financially.  And it was a coalition of businesses that ended up suing the city. 

The Texas Public Policy Foundation represented those businesses in court this week.

Judge Tim Sulak ruled to strike some of the interveners in the case like the Workers Defense Project, meaning they won't have a role in the case going forward.  But the Judge did rule that the Texas Public Policy Foundation had the right to bring the case to court. 

Of course the big request...the injunction...is not happening.

"Thus it should go into effect in October the way that the city planned for it to meaning that paid sick leave will come to all of Austin working individuals," said Beth Stevens with the Texas Civil Rights Project.

"The determination of the trial court today was in no way a determination our claims did not have merit or not true.  We think we put on a very strong record just with the preliminary information that we have," said Robert Henneke with the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

The City of Austin could end up appealing the Judge’s ruling on the jurisdictional motion which could mean everybody is back in court. 

Bottom line is, this isn't over.  Henneke says now they'll re-evaluate.  The ultimate goal is striking "paid sick leave" down

The ordinance goes into effect in October.