ALBANY— The Business Council has launched a new Web-based electronic-advocacy campaign to give business owners and others the ability to voice opposition to a Paid Family Leave mandate (S.5821-Morahan/A.9245 Silver).
When New York is losing jobs and tax revenue it is no time to place a new mandate that does not exist in the vast majority of states, on business. Labor Department officials reported that New York lost private sector jobs for the third consecutive month in April. New York City's Independent Budget Office is forecasting a loss of 59,400 jobs in the city alone over the next year. A new and expensive mandate will only make a bad situation worse.
Opponents of this legislation can send a letter to legislators through The Business Council's Grassroots Action Center. The Business Council is collaborating with local and regional chambers through its Chamber Alliance of New York State (CANYS) to promote the e-advocacy effort with their members.
The legislation would require all employers, even small businesses, to provide 12 weeks of paid family leave through the state's temporary disability insurance program. Unlike the current federal leave program, which is unpaid, this legislation would significantly expand the scope of the program to small businesses and expand the definition of family to qualify for leave.
Only California, Washington and New Jersey have similar mandates. Only California's is operational. The real expense of this mandate is the cost of replacing absent workers through mandatory overtime or temporary employees.
This mandate will once again place New York outside the mainstream and impose a costly mandate that will make New York less competitive.
-30-