Governor of New York Adamant About Family Leave

Albany, NYGovernor Spitzer of New York is adamant about his state providing its own family leave provision. Recently, in a State of the State address he warned lawmakers that New Yorkers need protection when they need to take time off to care for loved ones. Governor Spitzer deemed it not fair to expect New Yorkers who work hard for a living to have to make a decision between financial well-being and the health and well-being of a loved one.

During 2007 Assembly Bill 9245, which was a family leave proposal, successfully was voted for in New York Assembly, but was shot down in the New York Senate last June. The bill enumerated the worries New York workers face when taking a leave of absence. In addition, the bill discussed the worries employers had regarding the cost to them. It was stated that forty-five cents per paycheck would be allocated from New York workers' paychecks to underwrite the cost of family leaves.

On the horizon are several safeguard proposals for the economy of New York state. Some have already been implemented are in practice currently. There is good news for New Yorkers near or at the poverty level. A tax credit as a childcare provision is being fleshed out for poorer families. Also, there is going to be more vigilance in ensuring that the minimum wage is adhered to by all New York employers.

On the agenda as well is the effort to develop a misclassified employees' team to find employers who purposely misidentify employees' as independent contractors in an effort to avoid taxes and premiums. Furthermore, the employees' compensation reform will be implemented in full force during 2008.

An organization for small businesses, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), is echoing the concerns of small business throughout the state of New York regarding the family leave provision. The organization believes this will be detrimental to several small New York businesses. Small businesses are struggling due to rising healthcare prices, elevated taxes, and astronomical energy prices throughout not only New York, but all of America.

The NFIB feels the state of New York needs to be moving in a different direction economically. It believes that the economy can expand best by slashing the amount of taxes and eliminating many of the other costs employers are faced with presently. In addition, the NFIB will stand against the proposal for the family leave provision saying it will eliminate jobs throughout the state. On a federal level the Family Medical Leave Act is in place. Many states have their own leave acts, but not all do at this time.

By Delsia Hartford