Calif. Enacts Paid Family Leave Bill

AP ^ | September 23, 2002 | Paul Chavez

[EveningStar]

Gov. Gray Davis signed a law Monday that makes California the first state to offer workers paid family leave.

[EveningStar]

Your state is next.

[Psycho_Bunny]

California is so doomed.

[EveningStar]

ping and please ping your lists. thanks

[sarasmom]

If Kalifornias finances are in the dumps, where will the money come from?

Can we all spell blatant, naked grasp for liberal=stupid re-election votes?Will Davis throw open his campaign finances to pay for this new perk?

[dogbyte12]

Actually, reading the article carefully, it isn't as bad as it sounds. You already get the 6 weeks, unpaid, with the federal law Clinton signed. With this, you basically get an average of $3 a month as an employee, deducted from your check, that is used for the fund that your employer isn't actually paying for themselves.

Employers hate this bill because it gives people the cushion to actually take the 6 weeks. Many people couldn't afford to take 6 weeks unpaid leave off work. So, it is a negative for business, but they are not directly paying for this bill.

[concerned about politics]

All business should move out of Ca. if they can. Why stay there? They get screwed by the left constantly. Retire, and move out, ASAP.
People in NY are fed up. Businesses in Upstate NY are practically non existant. They said good riddens. They got sick of liberals and their taxes and freebies at working class expence. New York city takes half of upstates money just to support the looser liberals. They're like social vampires down there!

[EveningStar]

You're kidding. This could bankrupt small businesses.

[John Jorsett]

Man, I hope self-employed people are covered by this. A paid 6 week vacation every year. Sweet.

[Fundamentally Fair]

The employer NEVER pays. No matter how you slice it, the employee pays. You were saying?

[EveningStar]

...the law fails to address the real cost to employers, which includes paying for overtime, replacement workers and training to fill in for those who go on family leave.

[apillar]

Well this is another step down the path to the France-ification of America. They get a Government mandated month of paid "holiday" every year on top of the other leave their employer gives them. Of course these benefits have a price I wonder if people will start to complain when unemployment hits 15% and the minimum tax rate is 50%.

[dogbyte12]

Well, not all people are jerks. A good quality small business will get loyal folks who won't abuse the system.

A personal example. My grandmother passed away a week ago today. She was living with me her last two months. My work allows 3 days payed leave with the death of a loved one. I took 1. I arranged all the details Tuesday, and was back at work Wednesday. I work in a good place, and I am loyal. I have been grieving this week, but I am working. A good business will survive this legislation.

[jdontom]

This should make my employees Very happy!!!

I haven't read the full text of the bill to see just what employers are required to do. I know the news is saying 55% of your weekly pay or 490.00 dollars. The hidden facts is what hurts us...

[concerned about politics]

Employers hate this bill because it gives people the cushion to actually take the 6 weeks. Many people couldn't afford to take 6 weeks unpaid leave off work. So, it is a negative for business, but they are not directly paying for this bill.

They have to hire new people and train them to substitute for 6 weeks. While one is new, another is taken away to train him. They lose 2 employees-worth of work in one shot.
They not only lose productivity, but the massive paperwork to fill out just for the new employees 6 weeks of work takes some overtime pay.
A woman gets the 6 weeks for medical reasons. She has to rest from her labor, and the baby wakes up every 2 hours to be fed, leading to sleep deprivation.
Sure it would be nice to have "dad" around, but it's not at all necessary. It's just another NOW type legislation. The more they can get people from working for a living , the better the liberals like it. People could grow used to it, and decide to become government dependants themselves. It's so much easier. Let the right wing pay for everything. That's fair.

[Fundamentally Fair]

..and no matter what, an employee, or potential employee loses out.

[John Jorsett]

You already get the 6 weeks, unpaid, with the federal law Clinton signed. With this, you basically get an average of $3 a month as an employee, deducted from your check, that is used for the fund that your employer isn't actually paying for themselves.

That $3 (which will go as high as $6 for people earning $72K) is just the beginning. Nobody - other than employers if they feel like it - will be checking to see if granny really is sick, or whether your adopting your 87th child is a bit suspicious. Once people figure out that the gravy train is boarding, they'll be leaping on to this in droves, much like the out-of-control worker's comp system in California. Those $3 deductions are going to go up by a factor of five or ten in short order. When the employees start screaming, many of those costs will be shifted to the employers. This will kill off a lot of jobs in California.

Employers hate this bill because it gives people the cushion to actually take the 6 weeks. Many people couldn't afford to take 6 weeks unpaid leave off work. So, it is a negative for business, but they are not directly paying for this bill.

They hate the bill because they'll have to replace the people who take off, training them, perhaps paying overtime, etc. Not to mention that they see the handwriting on the wall as far as who's going to pay for the inevitable inflation of the costs of this program. It's going to be an additional burden on businesses already staggering along trying to remain solvent. Just because the costs are indirect makes them no less real.

[concerned about politics]

Well this is another step down the path to the France-ification of America. They get a Government mandated month of paid "holiday" every year on top of the other leave their employer gives them.

Sounds like the public schools teachers union. They work less than 8 hours a day for only 6 months worth of days per year. They get 6 months worth of vacation every year, and still get a full welfare check for it!

[pnz1]

I don't have a problem if a company allows an employee to use accumulated sick days. For example, in the case of adoption a company might not allow an employee to use sick days for paid leave.

[harpo11]

Isn't California the golden state of welfare, deficits, and energy princes, run by a govenor with the midas touch for his own personal benefit, as he screws the serfs? Please note, in this state, serfs are the working class that pays taxes.