S.C. Code Ann. § 53-1-150 – Exemption of certain counties; rights of employees, lessees, and franchisees to refuse to work; discrimination against persons who worship on Saturday prohibited

(A) The General Assembly finds that certain areas of the State would benefit greatly from a complete exemption from Chapter 1 of Title 53. This benefit would be a result of an expanded tax base thereby reducing the burden placed on property owners through the property tax. Allowing the operation of establishments on Sunday in these areas also would reduce the property tax burden through additional accommodations tax revenue which allows these areas to provide necessary governmental service from these revenues.
(B) The provisions of Chapter 1 of Title 53 do not apply to any county area, as defined in Section 6-4-5(1), which collects more than nine hundred thousand dollars in one fiscal year in revenues from the accommodations tax provided for in Section 12-36-2630(3) and imposed in Section 12-36-920(A). After a county area has collected more than nine hundred thousand dollars in one fiscal year in revenues from the accommodations tax provided for in Section 12-36-2630(3) and imposed in Section 12-36-920(A), the exclusion from the provisions of Chapter 1 of Title 53 will continue from year to year irrespective of whether revenue falls below nine hundred thousand dollars in subsequent years.
(C) Any employee of any business which operates on Sunday under the provisions of this section has the option of refusing to work in accordance with Section 53-1-100. Any employer who dismisses or demotes an employee because he is a conscientious objector to Sunday work is subject to a civil penalty of treble the damages found by the court or the jury plus court costs and the employee's attorney's fees. The court may order the employer to rehire or reinstate the employee in the same position he was in prior to dismissal or demotion without forfeiture of compensation, rank, or grade.
1. (A) In addition to other exemptions provided by statute, the county governing body may by ordinance suspend the application of the Sunday work prohibitions provided in Chapter 1 of Title 53 in a county which does not qualify for the exemption provided in Section 53-1-150. If the county governing body suspends the application of Sunday work prohibitions, any employee of any business which operates on Sunday under the provisions of this section has the option of refusing to work in accordance with Section 53-1-100. Any employer who dismisses or demotes an employee because he is a conscientious objector to Sunday work is subject to a civil penalty of treble the damages found by the court or the jury plus court costs and the employee's attorney's fees. The court may order the employer to rehire or reinstate the employee in the same position he was in prior to the dismissal or demotion without forfeiture of compensation, rank, or grade. No proprietor of a retail establishment who is opposed to working on Sunday may be forced by his lessor or franchisor to open his establishment on Sunday nor may there be discrimination against persons whose regular day of worship is Saturday.
2. (B) In addition to other exemptions provided by statute, the Sunday work prohibitions provided in Chapter 1 of Title 53 may only be continued:
  1. (1) in a county which does not qualify for the exemption provided in Section 53-1-150 within ninety days before the 1996 general election; or
  2. (2) in a county in which the county governing body has not suspended application of the Sunday work prohibitions by ordinance as provided in subsection (A) within ninety days before the 1996 general election; if a majority of the qualified electors of that county voting in a referendum at the time of the 1996 general election vote in favor of the continued prohibition on Sunday work.
3. (C) The county election commission shall place the question in subsection (G) on the ballot in November 1996 in a county:
  1. (1) which does not qualify for the exemption provided in Section 53-1-150 within ninety days before the 1996 general election; or
  2. (2) in which the county governing body has not suspended application of the Sunday work prohibitions by ordinance as provided in subsection (A) within ninety days before the 1996 general election.
4. (D) The state election laws shall apply to the referendum, mutatis mutandis. The State Board of Canvassers shall publish the results of the referendum within each county and certify them to the Secretary of State.
5. (E) If a county in which the referendum is to be held qualifies for the exemption provided in Section 53-1-150 after September 1, 1996, and before November 5, 1996, the county governing body shall direct the county election commission not to place the question on the ballot and not to hold the referendum.
6. (F) If the result of this referendum is not in favor of a continuation of the prohibition on Sunday work within the county, Chapter 1 of Title 53 shall not apply within such county after the result of the referendum is certified to the Secretary of State. Any employee of any business which operates on Sunday under the provisions of this section has the option of refusing to work in accordance with Section 53-1-100. Any employer who dismisses or demotes an employee because he is a conscientious objector to Sunday work is subject to a civil penalty of treble the damages found by the court or the jury plus court costs and the employee's attorney's fees. The court may order the employer to rehire or reinstate the employee in the same position he was in prior to the dismissal or demotion without forfeiture of compensation, rank, or grade. No proprietor of a retail establishment who is opposed to working on Sunday may be forced by his lessor or franchisor to open his establishment on Sunday nor may there be discrimination against persons whose regular day of worship is Saturday.
7. (G) The question put before the voters shall read as follows:
  "Shall the prohibition on Sunday work continue in this county subject to an employee's right to elect not to work on Sunday if the prohibition is not continued after certification of the result of this referendum to the Secretary of State?
  Yes �
  No �
8. (H) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (A) through (G), the referendum provided by subsection (B) must be held in a county which qualified for the exemption provided in Section 53-1-150 after May 8, 1985.
No proprietor of a retail establishment who is opposed to working on Sunday may be forced by his lessor or franchisor to open his establishment on Sunday nor may there be discrimination against persons whose regular day of worship is Saturday.
SECTIONS 12-35-710 and 12-35-730 have been repealed, see SECTIONS 12-36-920 and 6-4-20 respectively.
SECTION 53-1-160. Suspension of Sunday work prohibitions.