NEWS

Shumlin backs paid sick leave bill

Paris Achen
Free Press Staff Writer

MONTPELIER – Gov. Peter Shumlin on Tuesday endorsed a bill that would give most employees paid sick leave.

Shumlin declared his support for House Bill 187 during a news conference in which he also announced a new program for employers to work toward providing equal pay and opportunities for women. In Vermont, women make about 83 cents for every dollar paid to men, according to the American Association of University Women.

Shumlin said the state would be the first employer to sign onto the Vermont Equal Pay Compact, which was launched Tuesday in conjunction with Equal Pay Day.

The voluntary program involves taking at least three steps to address the income gap between men and women.

Nationwide, women earn 78 cents for every $1 men earn, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The income gap, however, is nearly nonexistent for unmarried women who earn 95 cents for every $1 earned by men, according to BLS.

"We all know that one of the things that holds women back in Vermont is the fact that when a family member gets sick or when they get sick they are often unable to go home from work, therefore, endangering other Vermonters, or take care of a sick child when that child needs them," Shumlin said. "It jeopardizes their job. It holds them back in the workforce."

Shumlin's backing of the paid sick leave bill is a reversal from two years ago when similar legislation was proposed. Shumlin said the new bill is an improvement on the former one because it addresses some concerns of employers.

"Last year's bill was too aggressive and not sensible of the reality of Vermont small employers," said Sarah Copeland Hanzas, D-Bradford, the bill's co-sponsor.

Hanzas owns a small business in the food industry.

The bill would provide three days of paid sick leaves to all employees after a year of full-time employment or 1,400 hours, whichever comes first. After two years, the paid sick leave would increase to five days.

Temporary and seasonal workers would be ineligible for the benefits. Employers who already provide the same or better benefits would have no new obligations.

An estimated 60,000 employees would gain paid sick leave, under the proposal, said Rep. Tristan Toleno, D-Battleboro, a co-sponsor of the bill. Toleno also owns a small business.

"I think that we all have an interest in preserving good health, public health," said Rep. Helen Head, chairwoman of the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs. "The idea that we have large segments of our food service community that don't have any kind of paid sick time off and are working sick and making other people sick is concerning."

Head said some of the most moving testimony that she has heard in support of the bill was from a school counselor from Barre Technical Center. The counselor talked about the impact of having a student who had to stay home from school and care for a younger sibling who was sick because their parents were unable to take time off from work, Head said. As a result, the teenager had to delay going to college, Head said.

Gov. Peter Shumlin speaks at a news conference at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Tuesday.

Some of the state's major business and economic associations continue to oppose the bill.

"Despite assertions from advocates for mandatory paid leave that the leading bill, H. 187, reflects changes to address employer concerns and 'compromise' on key issues, the legislation remains fundamentally flawed," said William Driscoll, vice president of Associated Industries of Vermont.

Driscoll said the bill increases already high costs for businesses and disregards the size or ability of businesses to pay for paid leave.

Vermont has the fifth highest combined workers' compensation and unemployment insurance costs in the nation, fourth highest minimum wage and third highest tax burden on businesses, Driscoll said.

Only three other states — Connecticut, Massachusetts and California — have adopted mandatory paid leave laws and those are less onerous than the Vermont proposal, Driscoll said.

Rep. Head said the committee has requested a fiscal impact study of the bill. Head said she anticipates receiving the study results Wednesday after which the committee will vote on the proposal.

The bill's prospects are dimming for this legislative session but may be considered in January, Hanzas said.

Contact Paris Achen at 802-660-1874 and pachen@freepressmedia.com. Follow her at www.twitter.com/parisachen and https://www.facebook.com/ColTrends.