Family Leave - An Easier Solution

Governor “Status” Cuomo is trying to sound like a socialist. Or at least is pushing for policies that socialists and reformers stand for. Either that or he is starting his re-election campaign early.

For starters, he is pushing for $15 an hour as a minimum wage in the state. All things being equal, that is good. All the plans fall short though. $15 Now means now. Today. The phased implementation over 5 years, not indexed for inflation, will mean that the $15 will be worth less than $15 if and when it it is finally achieved. So workers still get screwed. They'll be a little better off, but not much.

If wages matched productivity gains minimum wage would be in the realm of $21 and hour.

Try pushing for that in a conference room.

However given Republican intransigence, the “If” is more likely.

Now he is pushing for expanded family leave. He is proposing 12 weeks of paid leave for workers with family illness – pregnancy, cancer treatments, surgery, child illness, etc. How would it be paid for? Well, the devil is in the details, which is why it will take so long for it to be implemented.

There is support for it in the Assembly and Senate. The big argument is how to pay for it, what businesses would be subject to the law, and how long the employee would have to be employed before receiving the benefit.

Paying for it would come in the form of a deduction from the employees' pay-check, much like Social Security. The employee pays an amount, the company matches it, and, in an interesting twist, the state would kick in some money.

And employment length. How long should an employee work before being able to receive the benefit? Cuomo wants four weeks. A federal version of this idea pushes for one year.

There is opposition in the business community. Small business owners claim it would hurt their businesses. First the cost – who would pay for it and how much would everyone be contributing?

Second involves employee coverage. Losing an employee for 12 weeks and trying to find a replacement is not always easy. That and training anew employee and getting them up to speed takes time. And when they finally get into the “groove” or “flow,” the employee that was out now wants to return.

These are all stick issues, but this could all be covered by Social Security and treated like Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI. The law would be identical to disability except for the length, which could be limited to 12 weeks per year.

We don't need a new law. We just need common sense application of one that is on the books.

Now, for the small business person that is concerned about staffing. I have friends and know of people that don't want a full time job. They are happily married or retired and just want a little extra spending money. Or they like variety in their life and just want to do short term contract work. Each community forms a “job bank” similar to the Dept. of Labor unemployment office where people that are looking for short term positions can be matched up with businesses that have a short term need. Think of a school district and their substitute calling service.

One of my friends is a “part time” secretary. She doesn't want the hassle of full time and is the “one to call” for the local school district when a secretary needs time off.  Everyone is happy and the transition is seamless.  It can work.

It would work.

It's common sense.

But common sense isn't always listened to in these situations.