Changes to Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) Passes Out of the State House  

The Michigan Fitness Association (MFA) applauds the passage of House Bill 4002 this week in the Michigan House of Representatives. The House passed this important legislation in a bipartisan manner by a 67-38 margin. As you know, the Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) is set to take effect on February 21st this year, which would create a heavy burden on all businesses across the state that employ one or more employees, including fitness businesses. Last week, MFA President Bryan Rief testified in support of HB 4002 and pointed out several issues that would have catastrophic effects, including: 

• INCREASED COSTS due to compliance and administrative issues required to redesign existing benefit plans. 
• OPERATIONAL DISRUPTIONS created by unmanageable notification requirements such as last-minute call-offs or tardies that are not managed with an attendance policy. 
• UNNECESSARY STRAIN on businesses already operating on low margins, due to the complexity of regulation and penalties for non-compliance 
• POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE, especially as it relates to employers not being able to address last-minute call-offs and tardies. 
• ECONOMIC IMPACT that would only add costs associated with compliance which would lead to higher prices for consumers, reduced hiring, or cuts in other employee benefits. 

House Bill 4002 would make the following changes to the ESTA: 

• Include exemptions for seasonal and part-time employees 
• Exempt employers of 50 employees or less 
• Allow earned sick time to be combined with other PTO benefits 
• Limit the carryover to 72 hours annually 
• Allow employers to front load leave time as opposed to having to calculate all of the hours worked/taken in leave 
• Remove the 3 day “no-call, no-show” provision in ESTA. The soon to be adopted law would allow employees to take three consecutive days off without documentation and could not be disciplined by the employer 
• Eliminate the rebuttal presumption against employers 
• Eliminate the private right of action against employers  

MFA has been part of a broad coalition advocating for changes to the ESTA with Michigan lawmakers. The legislation now heads to the State Senate. The Senate can either consider HB 4002 or it can act on similar legislation (SB 15) introduced in that chamber. The MFA is optimistic that changes will be enacted into law that are much less costly and burdensome for our members prior to the looming February 21st deadline.

Legislative Breakfast

MFA is hosting a Legislative Breakfast for Michigan legislators and their staff on Thursday, February 27, 2025 from 8:30 to 9:30am. The event will be held in the Mackinac Room of the Anderson House Office Building. Legislators will have the opportunity to learn more about Michigan's fitness industry. Registration is free but required. Click here to register.

Apply for Round 2 of Health & Wellness Enhancement Grant

MFA is still taking applications for Round 2 of the Health & Wellness Enhancement Grant. The grant allows qualified Michigan-based fitness businesses to receive funds to enhance and promote health and wellness activities and programs. Businesses that received a grant in Round 1 are still eligible for a Round 2 grant. Additionally, non-members are eligible and encouraged to apply as well. The application process will close February 28, 2025.

Click here to submit your application online today!

MFA Launches Buyer's Guide

MFA recently launched a Buyer's Guide in the members only section of our website. This resource features companies that are offering special discounted pricing exclusive to MFA members. Participating vendors include FedEx, Accident Fund, Davenport University, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Spartan Print, Exercise Connection and much much more! We will continue to add new vendors for additional benefits. Click here to view the Buyer's guide.

Need your member login? Contact Erin Theis for assistance.

Cybersecurity Reminder

It’s crucial that all of us – owners, managers, and employees - understand our roles in maintaining the security of our companies, especially during the peak demand of the workout season in the fitness industry. There are four easy ways to stay safe online: 

• Use strong passwords 
• Turn on multifactor authentication (MFA) 
• Recognize and report phishing (Think before you click) 
• Update your software 

One best practice to protect your company is to work with your IT department or service provider to update your software and manage your cybersecurity needs. Your IT service can handle many of the items recommended by CISA. Another best practice is to train your employees on recognizing and reporting phishing or attempts to gain control of your system.

According to Terranova Security, 96% of all phishing attacks are delivered via email. Surprisingly, 90% of data breaches are the result of phishing attacks. So be sure to always check the "from" email address, not just the "from" name. If you're not sure if the email is genuine, don't click on any of the links in the email. Instead, go to the website and find the information from there.

Health & Wellness Impact Awards

The Health and Wellness Impact Awards celebrate innovative projects funded by the MFA Health and Wellness Enhancement Grant. The awards recognize exemplary initiatives that extend beyond business objectives to significantly enhance the health and wellbeing of Michiganders, especially within marginalized or underserved communities. Submissions are evaluated on innovation, community engagement, measurable impact, sustainability, scalability, and health equity.

Cash awards up to $2,500 in multiple categories. Winners will be recognized at the 2025 MFA Annual Conference. Members will have the opportunity to vote on the winners. Submissions are due February 15, 2025. Learn More...

MFA Annual Conference 2025: Save the Date

Please save the date for the 2025 MFA Annual Conference to be held Wednesday, October 15 at the Michigan Athletic Club in East Lansing. The conference will feature educational sessions, a vendor showcase and networking opportunities.

Do you have a recent milestone or news item to share? Let us know! We would love to hear from you and share your news with your industry colleagues. Simply forward your announcement to Derek Dalling.

Keep Your Managers in the Loop 

We would love to keep your fitness managers in the loop of what is happening here at MFA with our MiFitNews and FitByte newsletters! We ask that you please send their names and email addresses to MFA along with their gym location.

Help Your Customers Find You! 

The MFA website now has all our member locations searchable on a map to help potential customers to your fitness center. But the map is only as good as the information you provide us so we are asking all MFA members to verify your gym information that is on the map. To verify your information:

1. Visit mfafit.org and scroll down the home page to where the map is.
2. Click on the + or - buttons to zoom into your location
3. Click on the blue icon for your location
4. In the pop up menu, review all the contact information. Be sure to check for all your locations.
5. If your information is incorrect, please email the correct information and any additional locations that are missing to MFA.

Help us connect your customers to you!