(Image source from: Claudia)

The workers-rights groups behind the push for paid sick time off in Dallas still think that they turned in more than adequate valid signatures to get their cause on Dallas November ballot.

If Dallas City Secretary Billirae Johnson does not recount 32,000 signatures considered previously fallacious, the proponents will reckon to sue Johnson and the city, the Texas Civil Rights Project said on Tuesday.

After the first count of the 119,270 signatures turned in to assist comprehensive sick leave-any person working in Dallas would, were the proposal to become law, get one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours he or she works-Johnson determined July 11 that 51,797 petitioners' signatures were invalid. That left sick leave about 1,900 signatures short of the 53,756 needed registered Dallas electors to get on the ballot.

Over the succeeding four days, Johnson analyzed regarding 36,000 signatures that had been thrown out, according to the Texas Civil Rights Project, finding of 1,100 signatures that should have survived the initial count. The group wants the city secretary's office to analyze the 32,000 rejected signatures that were not re-evaluated during the initial recount.

"With a razor-thin margin, it is incumbent that the city of Dallas provides an extensive review to ensure Dallas voters are recognized and counted," said Jose P. Garza.

"Last month, over 120,000 people made clear that Dallas working families should have the right to earn paid sick time," said Jose P. Garza, executive director of the Worker's Defense Project. "With a razor-thin margin, it is incumbent that the city of Dallas provides an extensive review to ensure Dallas voters are recognized and counted."

Johnson told a media source on Tuesday that she had received the letter from the Texas Civil Right's Project but declined to remark on its demands. "I'll respond with a letter to them," Johnson said.

If Johnson declines to recount the signatures, the groups pushing for the ballot will probably sue, seeking a court order forcing the city to re-evaluate the signatures that were not looked at the second time.

Even if the attempt sooner or later fails, either in the courts or after the recount, sick leave in Dallas is not at peace. The Dallas City Council could still reckon the ordinance on its own, depicting the procedure that saw Austin pass universal sick leave this spring.

By Sowmya Sangam