HB 297 Summary

• Establishes a minimum 30-hour work week for covered employees (janitors, cleaners, porters, security personnel, and maintenance workers) at covered locations including office buildings of 100,000+ square feet, colleges/universities, and retail establishments of 100,000+ square feet in Delaware.

• Applies to covered employers who directly employ these workers, contract for their services, own/control covered locations, or lease portions of covered locations where they employ or contract for at least one covered employee.

• Excludes temporary replacement workers filling in for employees on voluntary leave lasting one or more work weeks, and excludes security personnel working only weekends or temporarily replacing weekend-only security staff.

• Grants the Department of Labor enforcement authority including inspection rights, subpoena power, and authority to pursue civil penalties of $1,000-$5,000 per violation, plus additional penalties for discrimination against complainants.

• Allows aggrieved employees to sue for back pay, medical costs, liquidated damages of $100 per day per violation, reinstatement, and attorney's fees if they prevail; effective January 1, 2017.