In a vote of 6-0, the Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs committee approved a proposal that would raise the minimum wage to $11.50 over three years, with the wage rising each year after that based on the Consumer Price Index.

One restaurant employee, speaking in Spanish which was translated by another person into English, said she was fired after she asked her boss for the day off to deal with a root canal.

According to an analysis, “approximately 9,900 tipped workers and 10,400 part-time and recently hired workers currently have no paid leave benefits of any kind and are eligible to receive new leave under the amendment.”

The push from the Paid Sick Days for All Coalition is timed to coincide with Summer Restaurant Week.